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“STOP THAT-YOU! STOP-OR I’LL FIRE! 


bUR JACKIES 

WITH THE FLEET 


BY 

CAPTAIN WILLIAM B. PERRY 


FRONTISPIECE BY 

CLARE ANGELL/ 


THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING COMPANY 

CHICAGO AKRON, OHIO NEW YOR 






5 '"'' 


Copyriglit 1918 

by 

THE SAALFIELD PUBLISHING CO. ' 


AUG 151918 



©GI.A503128 . 


OUR JACKIES 
WITH THE FLEET 


CHAPTER I 

OFF FOR DUTY — WHERE? 

Two squads of blue and white clad Jackies in 
training for the Naval Signal Corps were in prac- 
tice on a parade ground somewhere inside the 
Great Lakes Naval Training Station when a young 
woman approached, evidently headed for the Ad- 
ministration Building. Instantly one of the lads 
who was wigwagging spelled a message: 

‘^Pipe that pretty face!’’ 

To which he received the code reply from the 
ether squad: 

‘ ‘ Peachy, ain ’t it, bo ? I’d just like to — ’ ’ 

But the message remained unfinished. That 
‘‘peachy” young girl had suddenly stepped into 


9 


10 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

position between the two lines, drawing two hand- 
kerchiefs from somewhere about her, and began 
going through a rapid series of waving gestures 
that spelled forth : 

^ ‘ Cut out the peachy face ! Come and help me 
find my brother. ’ ^ 

We may imagine how swiftly, though dumb- 
foundedly, this astonishing interpretation of the 
young naval recruit’s too forward admiration 
brought its answer. In a trice the entire two 
squads were at her service, on the run, so to speak. 
Escorted by the t\vo ^‘criminals” and followed by 
the envious looks of those remaining behind. 
Brother Tom was located in another part of the 
drill grounds, learning something about steering a 
destroyer. Amid another group of eager young- 
sters gathered about a steering wheel, presided 
over by an officer in ensign’s uniform, a young- 
ster sprang forth to greet the young woman as 
if he had known her all his life, which he had. 
Greetings passed between 'him and the two Signal 
Squad youths, who already felt themselves upon a 


OFF FOR DUTY— WHERE? 11 

speaking footing with the girl of the peaches-and- 
cream complexion. . 

Detaching himself for a moment, Brother Tom 
ran back, saluted the officer and said something, 
whereat the ensign nodded, watching him return 
to his sister with an amused smile. Then turning 
to his duties, he began : 

^^Now, lads, this is the way luffing to port is 
done,^’ and he began turning the wheel made in 
exact imitation of the mythical destroyer’s steer- 
ing gear, even to bridge mounting, with wind shield 
and all as upon the deck of a real ship. There 
was a compass and binnacle before him and, as the 
Jackies clustered close, he went on with his tech- 
nical instruction. 

Meanwhile Thomas Telfair Truesby — “Brother 
Tom” — getting back to the sister and her escort, 
broke forth with : 

“What ye think. Washy?” This to one of the 
two who had first wigwagged his opinion of Miss 
Truesby ’s looks. “Grumpy did the handsome 
without a wink. Say, Snoddy ! ” to the other chap. 


12 


OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


‘^Old Galveston could hardly heat this for a sea 
grind, if it is a thousand miles from salt water.’’ 

‘ ‘ And only thirty from Chi, eh f ” And the one 
called Snoddy, short for Dallas Snodgrass, 
grinned boldly, whereat the girl ventured to say : 

‘‘I’m afraid Chicago is too near you boys for 
your own good at times.” 

“Don’t you worry ’bout that. Ally,” remarked 
her brother, who seemed suddenly to remember 
that something was due the social proprieties. 
“You fellows must pardon me.” And he intro- 
duced to Miss Aline Truesby, his sister and “such 
a good pal!” Dallas Snodgrass and Washington 
Trumbull. 

Grinning at her, yet with admiring respect, 
Trumbull said : 

‘ ‘ Of course it did seem impudent in Snoddy and 
me ; but how could we suppose that such a — such 
a nice girl would be a wigwagger just like us ? ” 

“Well, Mr. Trumbull, this life is full of sur- 
prises. I am glad this one led to no worse result 
than quickly finding my brother.” 


OFF FOR DUTY— WHERE? 


13 


‘^Say,, Ally/’ broke forth Tom, you’d never 
guess how Snoddy and I became acquainted. 
W^e— ” 

^^Now, Telfair,” began the girl, whereat Tel- 
fair sighed, then broke in again, saying: 

‘‘When Ally feels good with me I am Tom or 
Telly. When she disapproves of me she reverts 
to Telfair. Go ahead, sis! Telfair it is until 
you feel better.” 

“I was only going to say that you boys have 
strangely odd nicknames.” 

“It is this way. Miss Truesby,” began Snod- 
grass. “I am known here as the boy from Kan- 
sas. Why? We — ” 

“Do let me tell that!” interrupted Trumbull. 
‘ ‘ I was the one who had the car, you the one who 
came before your time and had no one to meet you. 
Fact, Miss Truesby ! I had gotten leave for two 
days and with Telly here was on the way to Chi to 
see the elephant cavort for one night. At our 
station I ran upon Snoddy rambling round, look- 
ing for some way to get in here. He wasn’t due 


14 


OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


for a week, when XJncle Sam would have paid his 
transportation. Would he wait in Wichita an- 
other week? Nit — no siree! Uncle might miss 
him; he might get some other notion in his head 
which is wild and woolly, if it is red. What does 
he do? He parts with the long green for fare, 
didn’t even stop in Chi, and here he was, waiting 
round — for what? For us to pick him up — eh, 
Snoddy?” Snoddy grinned patiently. ‘‘Well, 
we sized him up right. Says Telly here, ‘Let’s 
take him back to Chi, show him what the elephant 
really is for one night, then fetch him back, duly 
put through the white-lights — initiated, then fire 
him into our own grade and let him paddle his own 
canoe.’ That’s just what we did.” 

“And you are all in the same grades, and will 
go otf together when you are through here?” 
She was much interested apparently. 

“That’s just the situation! I will confess 
Snoddy was rather taken aback when he learned 
that some of us Jackies own our own cars. But 
that’s nothing. We had ’em before we joined. 


OFF FOR DUTY— WHERE? 


15 


When we’re done here, we’ll ship ’em home, or 
sell ’em, or give ’em to Uncle Sam, who wants 
more things now all- at once than he ever did be- 
fore. Oh, it’s a great life — really if is. Miss 
Truesby !” 

Aline, turning to Dallas, asked: 

‘ ‘ And did you really come here paying your own 
way instead of waiting for the government to send 
you!” 

Snodgrass grinned rather sheepishly as he re- 
plied : ' 

^‘Yes’m. You see I am a farmer’s son. We 
live several miles out of Wichita. I had made up 
my mind to enlist in the navy. So one day I bade 
’em good-by at home — ^went to Wichita, was en- 
listed, passed all right, but found that I would not 
be wanted for a week or more. Waiting isn’t my 
long suit. Miss Truesby^ I figured I’d better pay 
my way on at once, get into training, and so the 
sooner be whatever they decided I would best be. 
So on I came, reaching our station here on an off 
day. Luckily your brother and Washy here 


16 


OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


picked me up. They made me go back to Chi. 

We had a good dinner, went to the theater, heard 
Melba sing the ‘ Star-Spangled, ’ then fall back on 
‘ Old Black Joe. ’ Say ! That last nearly got me ! 
Afterwards, by the time we got back into the Sta- 
tion, we were bunkies, and — I guess weVe been 
bunkies ever since. No, I don’t own a car; but if 
I did, I guess I’d do what Trumbull says he’s go- 
ing to do — hey, Washy?” 

‘Mt’s grand; it’s noble of you boys! But — ” 
here she lavished a smile all round, “I wish you 
weren’t quite so — so slangy!” , 

‘^How thoroughly feminine!” shouted Telly. 
‘‘Why, sis, slang is our vernacular, because it 
says for us just what we want to say better than 
we can say it ourselves. Pipe that. Ally, and get i 
into a little slang yourself ! ” 

By this time the three, having inspected those 
parts of the Camp Paul Jones which were most 
used by the Jackies in their class, they were at- j 
tracted by an under officer tacking up a new an- 
nouncement on an official notice post. 


OFF FOR DUTY— WHERE? 


17 


It may be said here that certain parts of this 
great training station a thousand miles from salt- 
water are assigned to certain grades or relays of 
Jackies who are practically in the same classes. 
These camps are named in big letters after cer- 
tain historic naval heroes, and very fitly so. It 
lends the glamor of the past to the arduous re- 
quirements of the present. All this, of course, 
after a short period in what is called the ‘^Deten- 
tion Camp)’’ where inoculation, baths and other 
preliminaries are endured. 

Strolling up to this portentous placard, that 
was followed by a long list of names below, 
they read the preliijainary announcements. Then 
Brother Tom, or Telly, as we will call him, 
threw up his cap and as he caught it bawled 
forth : 

“She^s come, boys, she’s come! Bah for our 
side 1 ” 

Just before this Aline asked casually of young 
Trumbull : 

“Were you curious as to how I — a mere girl — 


18 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 
happened to read your wigwagging this morn- 
ingr' 

Trumbull smiled, but shook his head. 

‘^This is woman’s day, Miss Truesby. I have 
ceased to wonder at anything. ’ ’ 

‘ ^ Oh, well, my father is an old sea captain. Tel- 
fair and I were partly brought up on shipboard. 
Wigwagging in code is an old story. After Tel- 
fair left us and came on here, I joined a class in 
the young woman’s Red Cross, where they taught 
army and navy signaling. It’s needed, you know, 
at the Front. Also on the sea.” 

begin to think you are rather remarkable — 
for a girl. Miss Truesby. But what is it that 
Telly is shouting about ? ’ ’ 

They sauntered on after the others. Reaching 
them, Telfair threw one arm over Snodgrass, and 
the other around Trumbull, and began to dance 
ragtime rather awkwardly, considering that 
neither of his companions would dance at all, both 
on account of Miss Truesby ’s presence and being 
also engaged in reading the posted announcement, 


OFF FOR DUTY— WHERE? 


19 


which stated that all the J ackies in the classes be- 
low would get a week^s furlough. Very good, so 
far. But upon the expiration of said furlough 

Class would report for duty at U. S. 

Navy Yard forthwith for assignment to duty. 
Each grade and class was given the same fur- 
lough, and the same immediate assignment, only 
at some other naval station. That was about all. 

It was quite enough. When Aline finally mas- 
tered these matters she turned to her brother, her 
lips smiling, though her pretty eyes momentarily 
dimmed. She clasped his arm tightly, thereby 
stopping his rather lame imitation of a dance. 

‘‘Do stop, Telfair!' Does it mean that you will 
have a furlough to go home with me — and when?^’ 
At this Trumbull turned back, saying : 

“We go through our classes to-day and to-mor- 
row, Miss Truesby. Then railroad passes and 
furloughs will be issued and we can go our ways — 
home, supposably — for a week. After that all in 
our class, which includes us three besides many 
others, go on to our Navy Yard. After that noth- 


/ 


20 


OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


ing is clear except that we report for immediate 
duty — probably upon some ship.’’ 

^^And you are really glad?” she asked. 

^‘To be sure! W^by shouldn’t we be?” He 
smiled in a dry way. ‘Ht is what we came here 
for — all of us.” 

know. But there is something sad about it 
all for us girls. Most of us have to remain at 
home, wishing, hoping, waiting. There’s Telly. 
He’s all enthusiasm. But father and I — our 
mother is dead — well, it will be rather lonesome. 
You see we will not know where the boys are, ex- 
cept that they are somewhere in the war zone, 
chasing submarines, convoying ships, making 
those daring raids that we all read about, usually 
long after the things are done, and — and all that. ’ ’ 
Washington Trumbull began tot admire this 
sweet-faced, resolute girl who, despite her pres- 
ence of mind (witness her cool wigwagging back 
to them to-day), and her up-to-date way of think- 
ing, seemed capable of deep feeling upon occasion. 
After the announcements were read, and much 


OFF FOR DUTY— WHERE? 


21 


jubilation had occurred among the Jackies most 
concerned, our party turned back towards their 
own part of the big training grounds. Here rows 
of orderly tents, sundry mess-halls and other gen- 
eral buildings dotted the open grounds known, as 
has been stated, as Camp Paul J ones. 

At the gate the girl bade them farewell until 
recess, saying finally : 

‘^Remember, Telly, you are to take me to your 
moving picture show to-night. I will be at the 
station hotel waiting. Don T keep me long ! ’ ’ 

^^No fear. Ally,’’ returned Telfair carelessly. 
‘‘Look for us three anyway.” 

“Never fear. Miss Truesby,” said Snoddy, the 
Kansas boy. “We’ll keep him reminded. It 
don’t pay any of us to lose sight of such a good 
wigwagger as you.” And he waved a jolly au 
revoir as the three departed. 

For two days Miss Truesby remained at the 
hotel, nor was she ever suffered to remain alone 
whenever Washy or Snoddy could find excuse for 
being on hand. But the boys were busy much of 


22 


OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


the time for many things must be done. Among 
others there was Trumbull ’s fine car to be donated 
to Uncle Sam. Uncle Sam was everywhere seem- 
ingly, but hard to corner as an individual, com- 
petent to receive and accept such gifts from mere 
Jackies in the fleet. Here Aline came to the 
rescue. 

^^Why not go straight to Captain Moffet, com- 
mander of the whole works ? ’ ’ 

Trumbull looked rather dashed. Already a cer- 
tain amount of juvenile awe enveloped the gentle- 
man in charge of so many thousands of would-be 
sailor lads. 

‘^Well, I will,’^ he hesitated. ‘^That is, if you 
will go with me. ’ ^ 

‘ ‘ Me ? W ould that be necessary U ^ She smiled 
most drolly, it seemed to him. 

^‘Emphatically yes! ITl tell you! We will all 
go — you. Telly, Snoddy and I. That will give me 
the nerve to tell the biggest Brass-Hat of all just 
what I want to do. If you send me all by my lone- 
some, I won’t have the courage of a goose. You 


OFF FOR DUTY— WHERE? 23 

must go, Miss Ally— won't you?" He was al- 
ready using her pretty Christian name, with the 
prefix of Miss, of course. So it was arranged. 

The following morning the four, seated in the 
really excellent car, were bowling along towards 
the modest office where the real creator and man- 
ager of this great training station held forth dur- 
ing business hours, which were, in fact, the whole 
twenty-four in time of stress. 

Ushered into the captain's presence, the Jackies 
saluted, while Miss Aline, bowing modestly, was 
agreeably surprised when the captain took her 
hand, saying: 

‘^You are not altogether unknown to me. Miss 
Truesby," glancing at her card. Years back, 
when stationed along the Gulf, I met Captain 
Truesby near Corpus Christi. He was an old- 
time officer. He wanted to do certain things of 
which our Uncle Samuel disapproved. Nothing 
bad or mischievous, but technically not quite the 
thing. He was reasonable; so was I. Result, I 
dined with him later at your Galveston home. 


24 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

There was a wee small girl there, and a still 
smaller boy — ’’ 

^‘Why, that must have been Telly and me!^’ ex- 
claimed the girl. ‘‘And you were the naval man 
whom my father often said had kept him from 
losing much money over some kind of trade — I 
don^t know what. To be sure we know you, cap- 
tain! This is that Telly, sir; and you see what 
he is up to now. Leaving us all for — for — to help 
Uncle Sam.’’ 

After that it was all plain sailing. Trumbull, 
his diffidence banished, told Captain Moffet that 
he wanted Uncle Sam to have his car — right now. 
It was a free donation — to help on the war — no 
strings attached. 

“I’ve no use for it, sir, and I am well able to 
stand the expense. Won’t you take it as a free 
gift to Uncle Sam to help carry on this detestable 
war?” 

“To be sure I will, Trumbull!” said the captain, 
again shaking Washy’s hand in a way that made 
him feel as if there was a real man holding his 


OFF FOR DUTY— WHERE? 25 

hand. ‘‘Just give me your full name and ad- 
dress. Acknowledgment will be sent you wher- 
ever you may be. I^m proud of you — proud of 
hundreds like you who have come here, some of 
you from homes of wealth and culture, to do your 
bit in the way you feel most adapted to follow. 
It^s a hard life, lads, but the end is more than 
worthy, and I believe you’ll never regret the 
chance war will give, you to prove that you are 
the right stutf.” 

As they left, Washy heaved a sigh and said, 

‘ ‘ That old car is off my mind, thanks to you all ! 
Now me for old Indiana! Terre Haute’s my 
home. Wish you all could go with me — ^hey, 
Snoddy?” 

Snoddy grinned, but said that if he didn’t pay 
the old folks his farewell this time, his conscience 
would not forgive him, even if his mother did. 


CHAPTER II 


ON THE WAY SOLLY HAS ADVENTURES 

One week later a long train of mixed passenger 
and improvised freight cars was halted at Terre 
Haute, apparently to let one of the fast limiteds 
through which had stopped for two minutes only. 

From every window and from doors of the 
metamorphosed freight cars a myriad of young 
heads were poking forth, while blue caps, nautical 
capes and flowing kerchiefs proclaimed to all that 
a bunch of Jackies was on the way somewhere 
east. From one particular window two heads, 
pushing further out than usual, proclaimed that 
two Jackies either wished to see more of the town 
or were on the qui vive for some other immediate 
purpose. 

‘‘Don’t see him anywhere, do you?” spoke one. 
“It’s his home town. Where the dickens is he, 
anyhow ? ” 


26 


ON THE WAY SOLLY HAS ADVENTURES 27 

‘‘HeTl be along, Telly — don’t you worry! 
Reckon he’d run the chance of missing his own 
squad ? ’ ’ 

‘^That limited is pulling out, Snoddy. We 
won’t wait much longer. Get out your wigwag- 
gers. If he ’s ever so far off, he ’ll notice that. ’ ’ 

Snoddy, already with two bright colored ker- 
chiefs in hand, began to wave them idly to and fro. 
Suddenly they felt a jar, then an ominous snort 
from the engine just attached. Outside, the plat- 
form was thronged with people down to see the 
Jackiea leave, some of them frantically or phleg- 
matically embracing or shaking hands with Jack- 
ies now boarding the train, each car of which bore 
signs in large print that designated the company, 
squad, or other detachment of sailors it carried. 
Still no sign of the slothful one, -the delinquent 
Jacky whom several were anxiously waiting. 

There came a premonitory jerk, then the train 
began to glide slowly ahead while Snoddy kept 
waving at the crowd outside promiscuously the 
signal ‘ ^ Hurry up. Washy, hurry up ! ” 


28 


OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


^ ^ There he is ! ^ ’ cried Telly, now half out of his 
window. ^ ‘ W ave, Snoddy ! W a ve, I say ! ’ ’ 

No good, apparently. Yet Telly was sure he 
saw a taxi whirl to a halt at the far end of the plat- 
form and some one in naval uniform that looked 
like Trumbull leap forth and start on a run. But 
trains do not wait upon a Jacky’s private code sig- 
naling. As it rounded a curve beyond the plat- 
form Telly saw no more of his running Jacky. 
He was bemoaning the luck when an ensign, pass- 
ing through, said aloud for all to hear : 

^ ‘ That was a tight chance and he lost. But if he 
kept his taxi there ’s a bare hope that he may make 
us at the pump station a mile out. ’ ’ 

Telly, whirling round, saluted, and then asked: 

‘ ‘ Excuse me, sir ; but did you say the chap that 
missed the train might make it yet by racing for 
the ijump station 

^‘Yes. Is he a friend of yours? queried the 
ensign. 

‘‘He is our bunkie; belongs in our squad.’’ 
Telly whirled back, saying to Snoddy: “Watch for 


ON THE WAY SOLLY HAS ADVENTURES 29 

that open square there, Snoddy. Wave him to 
race on to the pump station. Wave, Snoddy, 
wave ! ’ ’ 

^ ‘ Don ^t bother ! ^ ^ called back the ensign from the 
car platform where the view was plainer. ^ ‘ He ’s 
going like mad now. Oee! They Ye bursting the 
speed law right now,’’ and the ensign departed 
on his way, laughing. 

Sure enough, when the engine and tender drew 
up at the pump station a taxi was disgorging not 
only one, but two J ackies, one of whom was Trum- 
bull. The other, a tall, husky, shock-headed youth 
of almost abnormal size and weight, wiped his 
face with his neckerchief as he followed Washy 
into the right car, and was greeted by hilarious 
shouts of welcome from a number of other Jackies 
whom he regarded with some apparent indiffer- 
ence, that was rather belied, however, by a droll- 
ish gleam in his eyes and a comical twitch to his 
rather large, full lips. 

‘‘Well, if it isn’t S. 0. S. !” shouted Snoddy, re- 
leasing Washy’s hand to grasp that of the new- 


30 


OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


comer. ‘^What you doin’ boardin’ tbe train here, 
Sol I Why ain ’t you back in Pittsburgh I ’ ’ 

‘‘Ask Washy,” quoth Solomon Orta Smith, or 
S. O. S., as he was soon dubbed by his bunkies, 
from, the over-ready facility evinced by him on 
many occasions to lose himself or get lost upon 
occasions when most lads would have either found 
themselves or asked the nearest policeman or 
sentry. “He knows.” 

“It’s this way,” confirmed Trumbull, after the 
train had again started, with tanks refilled and 
everything serene. “My folks and I were already 
getting rather bored at home, me having nothing 
to do, and dad and mam worrying because I’ll 
soon have too much to do, with Uncle Sam doing 
the bossing, when day before yesterday who 
should I run across but Sol? He was here instead 
of Pittsburgh ’cause his folks had come here vis- 
iting or something. Am I right, Solly?” 

A grunt was the reply, as Solly lighted his 
pipe. 

“Being one of the squad, I sorter had to look 


ON THE WAY SOLLY HAS ADVENTURES 31 

after S. 0. S. a bit. He was always getting lost, 
never coming in on time, or something. Ain’t 
that it, Solly 

Another grunt, followed by : ‘^Have it your way. 
Washy!” 

‘^Sol mistook the day our leave was up, and for- 
got the time the train was to pass through. 
About an hour before I intended going to the de- 
pot along came Solly’s father on his way some- 
where else, leaving word for me to meet Solly at 
the skating rink, where we’d been having fun be- 
fore. ’ ’ 

^ ^ I told the old man and he was some flustered. 
Said I: ‘You trot right back to where you all are 
staying and if Solly hasn’t left, get him started 
double-quick for the station. I’ll take a taxi to 
the skating rink, and if he ’s there fetch him on to 
the depot.’ Isn’t that right, S. 0. S.?” 

Another assentive, accompanied by furious 
puffs at his pipe. 

“Knowing I must make rapid moves, consider- 
ing Solly’s forgettin’ habits, I bundled my things 


32 


OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


into a taxi we^d had called and started for that 
skating rink. It was out of the route to the sta- 
tion, and when I got there, nary Solly could I see. 
I couldn^t stay long and was about to quit, when 
I heard Solly’s voice inside an office, near the en- 
trance. ‘I tell you he was to be here!’ came his 
bark through a pigeon-hole of a window. ‘He 
ought to have bought his ticket right here before 
now.’ Then I heard Solly hawk and spit, and I 
knew he was getting mad. 

“ ‘I haven’t seen him, man!’ began another 
voice, not an amiable one, either. ‘Come now; 
you must get out — I ’m busy ! ’ 

“ ‘No, I won’t get out!’ Solly again. ‘Me and 
him was to meet here — ’ 

“At this point I put my head in the window, and 
broke into this confab. 

“ ‘Found you at last!’ I said. ‘Come, get a 
move on! Didn’t you know our troop train is 
due here right now?’ What did you say then, 
Solly?” 

‘ ‘ Oh, rats ! What ’s the use of going over what 


ON THE WAY SOLLY HAS ADVENTURES 33 


I said or didn^t say? I know you hustled me to 
that station without a rag that I didn’t have on. 
Fact, boys, he did! And we got there too late. 
We saw some of the boys wigwaggin’ us, and you 
says : Wep — ^we ’ll make it at the pump station yet ! 
Hooraw ! ’ 

‘^So we hoorawed oif again, and by us payin’ 
that driver a fiver of mine — ’twas a fiver, wasn’t 
it, Washy?” 

Solly dove into his clothes and began counting 
out his money. Trumbull gave him up, and 
turned to the others saying : 

‘Wes, we just saved our bacon ! Got in here at 
last by the skin of ouy teeth. Solly ’ll have to wire 
back from our next stop and have his bag and 
equipment sent on — to where ? ’ ’ Trumbull looked 
at his comrades in dismay. Then he slapped 
Solly on the back, as he broke forth: 

“By hoky!” laughing. “We don’t even know 
now where we’re going, do we, boys? I don’t! 
Do you, Solly?” 

S. 0. S., a look of perplexity on his big, amiable 


34 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

face, slowly shook his head, but Telly spoke up 
with decision: 

‘‘I feel sure we can find out from one of our 
officers that pass through the cars now and then 
about where to have Solly’s traps sent.” 

Others joined in assentively and presently that 
same ensign came in again. The matter was put 
up to him. It was briefly explained, at which he 
laughed,^ especially when Trumbull added : 

‘^You loiow, sir, that we boys have nicknames 
mostly for each other. The initials of Solly’s full 
name are S. 0. S. It seems to be rather fitting in 
his case — don’t you think so? His name is Solly, 
but we boys forget and call him Sos or Sossy ; or 
when we mean to be particularly sassy S. 0. S. 
We’ve even wigwagged him so. Some day I 
reckon he’ll fight — don’t you, sir?” 

The ensign laughed more, but said to Sos — or 
Sossy ; 

^ ^ I cannot tell you yet just where you are going, 
but you can have your kit and bag sent on to- 
morrow by another troop-train bound for the same 


ON THE WAY SOLLY HAS ADVENTURES 35 

place. It should reach us in time for you, Solly, 
to be around, or have some one there who will get 
your stuff. Very careless; very’ careless in- 
deed!^’ 

So at Columbus poor Solly had to pay for a 
lengthy telegram, wiring all essential particulars, 
so that his parents could follow instructions. 
Solly at last regained possession of his belong- 
ings, but it was after some delay, inconvenience 
and a reprimand when quarters were at last 
reached and he with no kit or accouterments to 
be inspected. However, all came out well in the 
end. 

The troop-train progressed slowly for, owing 
to various congestions of traffic along the route, 
the!re were delays; also by reason of certain 
fast through trains, like the regular limiteds for 
instance, there were many tedious waitings, often 
upon uninteresting sidings at unimportant way 
stations. But at last Pittsburgh was reached. 

At this stage of the route S. 0. S. evinced a cer- 
tain degree of excitement, as if he had emerged 


36 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

from a state of mental coma. Stretching up his 
big arnis, he yawned lazily, saying : 

‘‘Look a here, boys! This is my town. I 
knows a place not moreen a block from here where 
we can get the best quick feed in no time you ever 
seen. Let’s ask our ‘car boss,’ ” pointing at a 
gunner’s mate, who had been with them at the 
Training Station, bossing the naval gun drilling, 
“ ’bout how long we might safely be gone.” 

Without waiting for assent on the part of his 
seat-mates, Solly bulged across the aisle to where 
a burly veteran man-o ’-war ’s-man sat smoking 
with one of the trainmen. 

Said Telly to Snoddy: “We better watch Solly. 
He’ll bunt right out again, whether we go or not 
and, like as not, get left again. ’ ’ 

They saw him speak to the squad boss, who 
stared, then answered forcefully, waving his pipe 
in emphatic gestures. Solly nodded, turned, 
waved an arm at Telly and the others, and shout- 
ing: “She’s all right, lads!” darted out at the 
nearest door, which was hardly a step away. See- 


ON THE WAY SOLLY HAS ADVENTURES 37 

ing this, Telfair and Snodgrass hurried to the 
man and began : 

‘‘Did you give him permission, sir? Are we 
to go with him to lunch?’’ 

“You can go where you dom please,” replied 
the gunner’s mate testily. “I dunno this burg, 
do you? He s-ays it’s his home port. I says 
nothing. But you go at your own risk ! ’ ’ 

Truesby and Snodgrass turned back. As they 
did so, they caught a glimpse of S. 0. S. shoot- 
ing across an open space of train yard and at 
the same time waving to those in the car to 
follow. 

“He’s inviting the whole car,” remarked 
Snoddy, laughing. “No one seems disposed to 
take the chance, though.” 

“Nor should we!” Trumbull shrugged his 
shoulders. “Solly nearly caused me to lose my 
train back home, and I guess I’d better dodge the 
issue now. ’ ’ 

Five minutes elapsed. Then all of a sudden, 
the train started, the engine puffs increasing as 


38 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

the long, heavy laden string of cars followed. 
Telly and Snoddy stared at each other. Finally 
Aline ’s brother broke into a dry laugh, while 
Snodgrass blinked across at Trumbull. 

^^No wonder they dubbed him S. 0. S.,” re- 
marked Trumbull. ‘‘Hell give us now another 
illustration of its general patness where Solly is 
concerned. I’m sorry, though.” 

“Where’s that chap that wanted to go out to 
lunch?” later asked the gunner’s mate. 

“Well, sir, we all wanted to go, but the boy that 
first asked you was the one that took you at your 
word, whatever that was. ’ ’ 

“I didn’t tell him to go no more than I did you 
chaps. Well, it’s his lookout I reckon. We’ll 
reach Harrisburg by supper- time, and if he don’t 
show up I’ll have to report him to them higher 

Telfair and Snoddy by this time had grown 
anxious; so had Trumbull, although he disguised 
his concern under a dry, humorous comment on the 
situation. 


ON THE WAY SOLLY HAS ADVENTURES 39 

About this time, forty miles further on, the 
train again stopped at some unpretentious siding 
while another fast through express 'thundered by 
on the main tracks some rods to one side. The 
boys caught a fleeting glimpse of what looked like 
a human shape stretched out flat along the top of 
one of the coaches. But the vision caine and went 
so swiftly that nothing definite was ascertained. 
Again the troop-train went on in a plugging, 
steady way, while the afternoon waned into dusk 
and amid the rugged lap sings between hills and 
mountains there came signs that they were ap- 
proaching another of the larger cities. Ensigns 
began to pass through the cars, calling out, 
‘^Thirty minutes for supper — ruext stop 

At the same time they distributed to each Jacky 
his meal ticket. Twice they came through in 
order to make sure that ail had been thus notified 
and ticketed. On the second round Trumbull 
stopped the official. 

^^One of our mess lost his train. He might be 
along. Have you any objection to leaving his 


40 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

meal ticket with us, or with yonder man in charge 
of our car 

The ensign shook his head and was passing on 
when the nearer door opened as the train was 
slowing up through innumerable sidings in a large 
railroad yard. What was our lads’ surprise to 
see a grimy, sooty, soiled, disheveled figure enter 
and at once hold out his hand for a ticket, saying 
in a voice loud enough for all to hear : 

‘‘Supper ticket, please, sir! I belong in this 
car. ’ ’ 

Of course it was Solly, though so grimy that at 
first the ensign refused to recognize our Jacky. 

“Where have you been!” demanded the ensign. 
“Why are you so dirty!” 

“Well, sir, I jumped out at Pittsburgh, my 
home town, for a two-minute lunch at a place I 
knew. Thought the fellers were cornin’. But 
they didn’t. Gee, sir, but I was hungry! ’Stid 
of stoppin’ more than while you’d git your breath, 
on the train went!” Solly paused for lack of 
breath. 


ON THE WAY SOLLY HAS ADVENTURES 41 

“How did you get here, then T' demanded the 
ensign. 

‘ ‘ Express come along in about five minutes, and 
I boarded the sleeper. On the outside, sir, and 
on top. She was tough ridin^, believe me! But 
I was determined to stick with the boys ; that is, if 
I could ever ketch up. And ketch up I did at some 
sidin’ where you all was waitin’. Yes, sir, I 
caught up; but I couldn’t get on. We was goin’ 
on too fast. They brought me clear here. A 
braky, he fust begun cussin ’ me, but when he saw 
I was a lost J acky, he was nice as could be. Said 
he: ‘Why, if I’d knowed a Jacky was top of this 
car, tryin’ to git on by himself to Uncle Sam, I’d 
’a’ give you a seat inside!’ And danged if I 
don’t believe he would! Well, I waited and 
waited; and now I’m here I think you’d ought to 
give me that ticket. I’ll have to hump myself to 
eat all I want in what’s left of that thirty min- 
utes.” 

Well, Solly got his ticket and without much of 
a reprimand either. 


CHAPTEE III 


SALT WATEB AT LAST 

As has been hinted before, the progress of that 
troop-train was not very rapid. Traffic on big 
roads was badly congested. As the fast mail and 
express trains still had precedence of others, the 
trains carrying soldiers and sailors now and then 
had to wait. 

S. 0. S., serene despite the easy guying he un- 
derwent from his comrades, also managed by the 
aid of a friendly train porter to remove most of 
the travel stains acquired on the roof of the 
sleeper. He had eaten plenty during the scant 
fifteen minutes at the lunch tables, and while his 
rapid voracity astonished the Y. W. C. A. wait- 
resses who attended their table needs, the rest of 
the squad were pleased 'that Solly’s erratic va- 
garies had terminated in nothing more serious. 
But as the train journeyed on towards the east, 


42 


SALT WATER AT LAST 


43 


the boys began to feel more or less sleepy. Full 
stomachs and easy minds made them early victims 
to old Morpheus ’ wiles. Therefore but few in the 
car knew where they were or what time it was 
when the train began to slow down by the easy 
gradations which indicate an approach to one of 
the really big cities that are the usual terminals. 

Trumbull was the first to rouse himself. In- 
side, the car was only dimly alight; but outside 
they were swinging easily through the night amid 
a tangle of dingy streets, gas lighted, with only 
an occasional arc light high up in mid-air. Only 
an occasional vehicle rumbled here and there, 
while very few pedestrians were in sight. Washy 
looked at his watch. 

‘^Hully gee!^’ he exclaimed to himself. ^‘We 
must have skipped old Phillimiclink,’’ meaning 
Philadelphia. ' ‘ Where are we anyhow ? ' ' 

As if in answer to his self query, a door opened 
and the old gunner's mate observed to some one 
near the door : 

‘^This must be Newark, my old home town when 


4:4 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

I was a kid. It always was a dirty place. Won- 
der if weTl stop?^^ 

While Trumbull was mentally sizing this up the 
train, which had not paused in its leisurely course 
through the corporate limits, began to pass over 
an interurban bridge. Here Solly began to wake 
up, at first staring around as if lost, while his 
thoughts adjusted their stray glimmerings into 
a sense of his whereabouts. 

‘ ^ Gosh ! ’ ’ he gulped. ‘ ^ Where be we, W ashy I ’ ^ 
‘ ‘ Newark. Who ’s that trying to break in T ’ 
Heavy steps had sounded on the bridgework 
without. Trumbull had dimly seen a shadow-like 
figure flash by the window. When Solly spoke the 
steps thumped the platform at the rear end of the 
car, then some one was violently trying to force 
open the door. At last a figure plunged through, 
amid the awakening Jackies, and ran along the 
aisle towards where the gunner’s mate was still 
talking to the one as yet unseen seated in deep 
shadow under the water-cooler. 

At sight of the intruder, this person ceased 


SALT WATER AT LAST 


45 


speaking, sprang up, and, darting forward, 
shouted : 

‘ ‘ That ’s him ! That ’s the chap V ’ 

Quick as lightning the newcomer wheeled and 
with abnormal activity plunged across the center 
row of seats, for the car being broad and the seats 
short, there were three rows so as to accommodate 
more Jackies. 

Once in the other narrow aisle, he darted back 
towards the part where our Jackies were suddenly 
recovering from their drowsing. Both Snoddy 
and Telly made ineifectual grasps at him as he 
passed, feeling that something was wrong, and this 
fugitive somehow the cause. 

‘‘Catch him!^’ roared the first shouter, a well- 
known Secret Service agent. “He’s wanted! 
He ’s a dynamiter — a spy ! ” 

The fugitive was now almost at the door by 
which he had entered. Solly, still scarcely 
through stretching himself, had risen ; but taking 
a sudden false step, he stumbled over the feet of 
another lad, still seated, and fell heavily against 


46 


OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


the passing fugitive. Hearing and understanding 
the meaning of the cries he heard, one of Solly’s 
hands closed round the collar of the man he had 
involuntarily overborne, his weight crushing him 
down between the seats in the narrow aisle. 

While Telly, Snoddy and others struggled to 
Solly ’s aid the fugitive, still underneath, managed 
to turn on his back. Solly saw the gleam of an 
automatic in his hand. 

^‘You would, would you?” he grunted, and re- 
leasing his grip on the fellow’s collar, grasped at 
the weapon. Meantime others were ineffectually 
trying to seize him somewhere, anywhere. Then 
there came a flash and a sharp report, followed 
by a half stifled groan. The hand holding the 
pistol suddenly relaxed as Solly wrenched it away, 
and strove to spring up. 

At this the others about pushed back and Solly, 
pistol in one hand, with his grip renewed upon 
the other’s collar, dragged the prostrate man to 
his knees, when it was noticed that the left arm 
hung useless. 


SALT WATER AT LAST 


47 


The Secret Service man by this time managed 
to arrive, mainly over the heads and backs of 
wondering yet still sleepy Jackies. 'Without pre- 
liminaries he shook the now half fainting wretch 
vigorously, shouting in his ear : 

‘ ‘ Own up, you sneak ! Where did you plant that 
bomb? Tell me before I wring your dirty neck! 
Tell us where!’’ Renewed shaking. ‘‘Tell us 
where — quick ! ’ ’ 

“Zat for you to find out — ^f-find out — ” 

“Look here, Zondell! You’re a goner anyhow. 
Your cursed arm’s broke. If you don’t split and 
in a hurry, too. I’ll break the other one!” 

But the man, though evidently in great pain, 
contrived to grin in a sardonic manner. He cer- 
tainly had grit. He weakly waved his other hand. 
‘ ‘ Y ou — find — out — you ’se ’f — ’ ’ 

“Can you hold the fellow a moment?” asked the 
agent, wheeling to the Jackies standing close. 
“He’s a bad one; we’ve wanted him for months. 
Dynamiter — spy — general all-round factory and 
bridge destroyer. Just you keep him here. I’ve 


48 


OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


got to have this train stopped while it^s on this 
trestle. ’ ’ 

Then off he went like a shot, calling back : ^ ^Be 
back in two minutes ! ^ ’ 

So surprised were our boys that no one spoke 
at first, until Zondell, thinking he had a chance, 
made a sudden grab at the automatic which Solly 
still held after wresting it from the prisoner dur- 
ing the preliminary scuffle. Here Solly showed 
that he had a head on his shoulders with brains 
inside the skull. Instead of drawing backward, he 
shoved the weapon quickly into ZondelUs face, 
saying: 

’Nough of that, you! I bet you were trying 
to blow up this train. ’ ’ 

^^You shust waitC’ Zondell was panting, glanc- 
ing round like a trapped tiger cat. ‘^He bettuh — 
hurry. Train bus’ oop in wan — two — meenit — ” 

Here Solly merely slapped him into one of the 
vacated seats, saying: 

^‘You set right there, you ornery, treacherous 
blackguard!” 


SALT WATER AT LAST 


49 


By this time it was dawning among the boys 
in general what was being attempted. At the 
same time the train came to a sudden stop, jarring 
half the crowd off their feet. One Jacky stumbled 
into ZondelPs lap, causing him to yell with pain. 
Instantly Telly and Snoddy came to Solly’s assist- 
ance, keeping back the pushing crowd. But as 
it became noised abroad that the train, loaded 
down with young navy recruits, in a very short dis- 
tance further would have exploded a cap on the 
track, igniting a fuse which, in turn, would have 
exploded a bomb carefully placed where it would 
have thrown trestle, train and all into ten feet of 
marshy water, their resentment rapidly rose to a 
boiling point. 

After a short consultation a number of young- 
sters pushed forward, one of their number car- 
rying a coiled rope hurriedly procured from some- 
where. 

‘^Out of ze way, kamerade,” said the self-im- 
posed leader, a swarthy looking chap, whose naval 
rig did not make him look a whit more American 


50 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

than his general physical aspect coincided with 
his typical Hungarian face and figure. Shoulder- 
ing Telly aside, he attempted to loop the end of 
the rope round Zondell ’s neck. 

‘‘Look here ! ’^ demanded Solly, automatic in one 
hand as he thrust aside the gliding loop with 
the other. “None of that! Git back, you 
chaps ! ^ ^ 

By this time Trumbull, Truesby and Snod- 
grass, seeing what was up, boldly pushed for- 
ward, shoving aside the would-be lynchers with a 
momentum superior to their own, while Solly, still 
clutching the prisoner, boldly presented the au- 
tomatic in their faces. 

“You watch out, fellows, said S. O. S. “If 
this should go off, pointin’ your way, some one’s 
bound to get hurt. They’ll be no lynchin’ bee 
while I ’m round — ’ ’ 

“Why, dammit, Solly!” exploded the self- 
appointed leader. “What’s the use? I feela ’sif 
we gotta keel him. He would keela us — ” 

At this juncture in came the secret agent, who 


^ALT WATER AT LAST 51 

instantly sized up the situation. He smiled a 
hard, wise smile. 

‘^Goin’ to save Uncle Sam a 'dirty job, eh? 
Well, I guess I wouldn^t. It^s dirty all right, but 
if you boys do it, the dirt will be on you. If 
Uncle Sam does it, the dirt ’ll be where it belongs 
— on this chap. He deserves all he’ll get, believe 
me !” 

It was now seen that the agent was followed by 
two men in plain clothes, yet evidently connected 
with the same service. In the face of this the 
Hungarian Jacky with those aiding him retired, 
grumbling among themselves. 

The three men conveyed Zondell from the car, 
whichimmediately began to move forward, rather 
slowly at first. 

Along came the gunner’s mate, asking: 

‘‘Who is the chappie what collared that villain 
and broke his arm takin’ off his pistol? I wants 
to shake his hand. ’ ’ 

Solly, not at all anxious to be singled out, merely 
grinned. 


52 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FJjEET 

‘‘We all here helped/’ he said. “Rats! 
What ’s the use 1 ’ ’ 

“Ha, you’re the feller!” The gunner’s mate 
grabbed at the automatic, still in Solly’s hands. 
“Gimme that pistol, son! That Secret Service 
man forgot it. Don’t ye see! Hit’s evidence, 
when the chap gits, what I hopes is comin ’ to him, 
’fore Uncle Sam gits through with him and his 
like.” 

By this time he was shaking hands with Solly, 
and after him others of the squad, Telfair and 
Trumbull, also Snoddy, the Kansas boy. He 
laughed loudly as he handed the automatic to one 
of the men who returned for it, and who at once 
took down the names of those immediately par- 
ticipating in the capture of Zondell. While 
so doing, his eyes fell on the young foreign 
Jacky who had rushed forward with the rope 
and, scrutinizing him closely, the agent re- 
marked : 

“Keep your eye on that chap.” This aside to 
the gunner’s mate. “He’s wormed his way into 


SALT WATER AT LAST 


53 


the navy, but heTl bear watching or I miss my 
guess.’’ 

‘‘You talkee too much ’bout me,” began the 
swarthy Jacky, instinctively divining that he was 
under scrutiny. “Me — I Sousa Sprouse. Me, I 
good ’Merican. Me — yess!” And he stalked off. 

‘ ‘ Know him, any of you navy gobs ? ’ ’ asked the 
agent. 

“Not much, ’ ’ returned the gunner ’s mate. ‘ ‘ He 
joined somewhere in Chi. But he’ll bear watch- 
ing, I think.” 

‘ ‘ He calls himself a musician, ’ ’ remarked Trum- 
bull casually. ‘ ‘ Claims to be a relative of Sousa, 
the big band-master.” 

“Well, boys, we are greatly obliged to all of you. 
Should any of you be called as witnesses, you’ll 
know what for. We have two of Zondell’s pals 
outside. They were just putting the finishing 
touches to their hell-like contraption. Lucky we 
caught them. Zondell was too slick and jumped 
this car in an effort to escape.” Then waving a 
farewell, the agent vanished. 


54 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

Five minutes later, when they paused at a sub- 
urban station, the Jackies saw the agents alight 
with three handcuffed prisoners and steer their 
charges into a police patrol wagon that had doubt- 
less been called up from headquarters in New- 
ark. 

A few minutes later the troop-train drew up at 
the foot of a long pier on a broad water-front, 
across which, towards the northeast, gleamed the 
lights of the great metropolis, with the giant 
Statue of Liberty further out holding up her white 
electric torch towards the outer harbor. 

‘^So it was little old New York, after all,” re- 
marked Snoddy. ‘‘And we were all expecting 
Philadelphia after we passed Harrisburg.” 

“Don^t ye be too sure yet, son,” remarked the 
gunner’s mate, who was now on more sociable 
terms with the squad after the affair with the 
dynamiters. “New York’s a big place, but there ’s 
many a hole for creepin’ through or round, even 
yet.” 

“Just what do you mean by that, friend?” 


SALT WATER AT LAST 


55 


asked Trumbull. reckon we’re bound for the 
Navy Yard, aren’t we?” 

Don’t know yet. But take ib from me, son, 
we’re mighty short of young Jackies over in the 
war zone. One thing I guess can be leeked out 
and do no partick’ler harm. Afore I left Train- 
ing Station, one of them big chaps as I knows 
steps up to me — he knows me — see? We’ve 
cruised together afore, he on quarter-deck, me 
forrard over a bow gun. Says he to me that day 
at Station, says he: ‘When you see your folks 
this furlough, give ’em good-by for quite a spell,’ 
says he. ‘You’re bound across, and there ain’t 
goin’ to be much stoppin’ over on the way, 
either. ’ 

“Well, I reasoned that out to meself. He’s a 
good friend, this big gun. So I figure hit out 
there won’t be much stoppin’ in New York or 
any other place this side of a warship or transport 
or a chaser, or — who knows? — one of them de- 
stroyers. This is only a pointer, son. Make the 
most on it and don’t blab it out too loudly.” 


56 


OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


By this time the car wherein were our Jackies 
was disgorging its contents, each lad burdened 
with his kit and equipment. Almost instantly 
they fell into a double line while an ensign with 
pad and pencil walk;ed along, calling but each 
name and checking the ready replies. After this, 
with the gunner’s mate in the lead, they filed down 
the long pier out into the more open water-front 
where, at one corner of the pier, were a couple of 
steam tugs. Aboard one of these the Jackies 
filed, while other squads coming on behind were 
marched either on board their tug or the next one. 
At the same time, on the opposite side of the pier, 
lay two large barges, with a third tug attached, 
upon which the rest of the train-load of Jackies 
were in turn transferred. 

A period of waiting ensued. Then a whistle 
blew and a bell clanged. No movement followed 
this on board the tug whereon our Jackies were, 
but from the opposite side of the pier came a se- 
ries of sharp snorts, then the tug attached to the 


SALT WATER AT LAST 


57 


now well loaded barges began to move out into the 
bay. 

Jersey City lights gleamed far up the shore of 
the Hudson, while from the southward came more 
faint twinklings somewhere about Bayonne. 

“By George!’^ exclaimed Trumbull, pointing 
a course that stretched forth between the Battery 
and Governor's Island, “those chaps must be 
bound for the Navy Yard up Brooklyn way. 
Where the dickens are they going to take us T ’ 
“Remember what I told ye, son,^^ said the gun- 
ner ’s mate, ‘ ‘ and don T worry. I lay three to one 
we all sleep in hammocks ’tween decks this night, 
or what’s left of it, and that we’ll wake up with 
the real tides sloshin’ round our bows somewhere 
outside in the mornin ’. ’ ’ 

They watched the decreasing vision of the de- 
parted barges as they crossed the upper bay, skim- 
ming so close to Bedloe’s Island that Liberty’s 
torch, had she so willed, might have dropped 
sparks upon their decks. Just beyond a sudden 


58 


OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


bend to port, the tug and the dwindling barges 
vanished up the East River. By this time, all be- 
ing in readiness, our tug, followed by the other, 
cast loose from the pier and also made rapid prog- 
ress out into the bay, but laying a course south by 
east towards and along the north shore of Staten 
Island and so on into the Narrows. 

The night was not a bright one, a sluggish fog 
drifting slowly in from seaward, partially ob- 
scuring though not totally extinguishing the many 
lights that glimmered from passing or anchored 
vessels or the surrounding shores. 

Fort Hamilton was distinguishable on the left 
while the terraced shores of the Island rose dimly 
as they steamed slowly past, for the tide was on 
the flood and the current against them. 

Passing through the Narrows, the course veered 
more to starboard, and into the wider reaches of 
the Lower Bay whence, from afar dim, distant 
flickers of light indicated the curving outline of 
Sandy Hook. Almost immediately a boat from 
the health authorities approached in response to 


SALT WATER AT LAST 59 

some signal from the tags. An officer boarded the 
tug and conferred with certain of the officers up 
in the tug captain ^s office. In a trice the cere- 
mony, whatever it& nature, was concluded, and 
the thing was repeated on the other tug. The 
boat returned whence it came. The health and 
port requirements being thus satisfied, otf went 
the tugs again, further out in the bay where, pres- 
ently, two long, low-lying black shadows lay mo- 
tionless at anchor, with red and green lights on 
either side and bright white lights over the con- 
ning and look-out towers that seemed to do duty 
for mastheads upon these elusively singular ap- 
pearing shadows that were presently to receive 
their apportionment of fresh-water lads from the 
Great Lakes; lads whose heads were even now 
a-quiver with that indefinable sensation which a 
first intercourse with old ocean is sure to inspire. 


CHAPTEE IV 


THE DESTBOYEE CEOSSES THE OUTEE BAE 

Half an hour later, with hammocks slung to 
hooks overhead, our Jackies had scarcely begun 
to punch the ribs of old Morpheus with lively 
snorings when the shrill whistle of the boatswains 
penetrated the liquid swashings of the tide with 
a clamor that awakes the soundest sleepers. 

Immediately Trumbull, Truesby, Snodgrass and 
others, ever on the qui vive for the early morning 
summons, which amid the routine at the Lakes 
Station was one of the keen similitudes of life at 
sea, began jumping from their hammocks, as they 
had so often done at Camp Paul Jones. 

Straightway up rose the gunner ’s mate in their 
midst from a cot underneath. 

^‘Here, you!^’ he bawled. ‘‘All lads from the 
Lakes Station keep your berths. This call ainT 
for you.’’ 


60 


THE DESTROYER CROSSES OUTER BAR 61 


‘^WliaUs it for, boss?^’ demanded the youngster 
who called himself Sousa Sprouse and a relative 
of the noted hand-master whose surname he had 
tacked on to his own homely appellative. ‘‘Why 
stir us oopa dis way!” 

“lUs yours to mind, and not ask for reasons. 
Savvy 

Sprouse subsided grumblingly into his ham- 
mock, where all were soon snoozing again, despite 
the various noises that began to reign throughout 
the vessel, to which was presently added the shiv- 
ery sensation of a swift body in rapid motion 
through the water. 

And yet not entirely all ; for when the Jackies 
began to return to their blankets Trumbull, no- 
ticing that the gunner ^s mate was folding up his 
cot preparatory to stowing it away, left his own 
bed swinging and, meeting the other, offered him a 
tin of Prince Albert wherewith to fill his pipe, 
which he now had out. But the mate pushed it 
aside rather scornfully, saying: 

“By the time you Ve trod navy decks as long as 


62 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

me, youTl want a smoke with more body to it — 
seeT’ 

He produced a long square package of Five 
Brothers, whence he filled his smoke-calloused, 
corn-cob pipe with a black shredded agglomera- 
tion of the weed, that presently produced a semi- 
strangling smoke aroma, so familiar among those 
who follow the hard manual occupations of life, 
from factory and farm to engine room and hard 
decks at sea. 

‘ H ^m obleeged all samee, ’ ’ he continued. ‘ H ’m 
goin^ up on deck, son. Had enough sleep! Want 
to go Tong!^’ 

wouldn’t mind, sir. May I call you Mr. 
Rains? That is your name, isn’t it? Mine is 
Trumbull; the boys sometimes call me Washy.” 

‘^Naw, sir; you’ll not mister me!” The mate 
was almost pugnacious. ^H’m gunner’s mate to 
most folks, but to my friends I’m Billy Rains. I 
smokes black terbacker, and I drinks rum and 
red-eye — when I can get ’em.” He shook his 


THE DESTROYER CROSSES OUTER BAR 63 

head in a sort of grim sadness. ‘‘Rum and red- 
eye’s what’s kept me off’n the quarter-deck, I 
reckon. But — who cares? Not I. , I sings the 
old song: 

Who cares — ^who cares that such — is why? 

We might as well go soak our haids, 

And call for creams and lemonades, 

For prohibition’s come and stuck: 

Old Daniels says so — durn the luck ! ’ ’ 

Then he looked at Trumbull, grinned again, 
shook his head and drew upon his pipe so vindic- 
tively that the young Jacky turned his head aside 
to leeward. By this time they had quietly 
mounted a sort of stair ladder-way of iron that 
led perpendicularly up to the forward deck, now 
almost deserted ; for the hands working ship were 
either at the wheel on the bridge behind the great 
wind-shields, or down in the steel-floored rooms 
about the engines and boilers. 

“The tide’s at slack water now,” ruminated 
Rains, half to himself. “I’ve a notion that we’re 
on the way out, so you better prepare yourself to 


64 


OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


breakfast light, son. There ^s goin^ to be more 
than one ’prentice on board that ’ll miss a meal or 
two, if I’m any jedge.” 

Just then a tall, swinging form strolled by in 
the gloom of the night. Instantly Rains saluted, 
two fingers at his cap. Trumbull, without speak- 
ing, did the same. The stalwart figure halted, 
returned the salute, then peering at them, said : 

‘‘Why, hullo! Rains back again, isn’t it?” 
And he held out the hand of a naval Goliath. 
“Who’s with you?” 

^ “One of my squad, sir. Fresh-water birds, 
gettin’ their first touch of old Neptune here in the 
tail end of the midnight watch. Good chaps, most 
on ’em. This here one specially. I’m thinkin’ of 
adoptin’ him, chief.” 

“He will have to toe the mark. Rains, if you 
take him in hand. What’s your name, boy?” 

“I am Washington Trumbull, sir; but mostly 
I’m Washy to the boys below.” 

“Good names — damn good names,. both of ’em! 
We all know who Washington was. And in the 


THE DESTROYER CROSSES OUTER BAR 65 


old navy Trumbull once stood pretty high. Any 
of them navy Trumbulls kin to you, boy?’’ 

‘‘Yes, sir. We’re all kin, I believe. My own 
home is in Indiana. But I have often heard my 
father speak of his grandfather, Commodore 
Trumbull. Way back somewhere — ^War of 1812, 
I think.” 

“Well, lad, insofar as ancestry goes, you are 
all right to make a showing in the new navy. 
Stick to it; always be on hand when duty calls. 
Rains, I ’m still chief gunner on the Perry, Didn ’t 
know that, did you? Nor did I know when we 
ran in here to take aboard a lot of freshies that I 
would run upon you in here. I hope the com- 
mander will assign you to the forrard bow gun 
again. If he does, try and get your adopted lad 
in here with you.” And the chief gunner of the 
Naval Destroyer Perry swung olf, disappearing 
along the after deck bent upon the further round 
of night duties. 

“What’s his name, Mr. — I mean, Billy?” asked 
Trumbull. 


66 


OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


‘ ‘ Aha ! J est caught yourself in time, didn ’t ye ? 
YouTl soon be a real navy gob all right. His 
name? Jim Brewster; but ye must speak of him 
as Terry, ^kase he^s twice as big of heart as he is 
little in meanness. He ’s big all over, inside and , 
out. That^s why the boys speak of him as Terry, 
or the Terrier. I been mate for him this be the I 
second v’yage.’^ 

‘ ^ I shall like him, sir. I hope he will like me, I — 

I mean my pals and me. ’ ^ 

‘‘Ef ye show him, all on ye, just what you’re 
made of, you’ll do.” 

‘‘But — but what makes the deck kind of heave 
up in my face? Is it — is it the first greeting of 
the real sea?” 

‘ ‘ Guess you ’re not far wrong. N ow’ take a good 
grip on your stommick. It’s like to play tricks 
on your head, ’less you mind what you’re up to 
and where you are. Ah-h! See what I mean?” 

The destroyer just then gave a sudden upward 
lift at the bow, then correspondingly sank again, 
while the stern rose as suddenly, nearly throwing | 


THE DESTROYER CROSSES OUTER BAR 67 

Trumbull athwart a coil of cable just ahead. He 
recovered himself with a laugh, which was further 
accentuated by the sight of a Jacky, followed by a 
second one emerging on deck as if with a shove 
from behind that plumped him flat on deck. Im- 
mediately the second Jacky stumbled over the 
first and both lay sprawling for an instant. But 
in a trice they sprang up again, only to observe 
that both Rains and Trumbull were laughing. 

‘‘Who’s your friends?” demanded Rains jocu- 
larly, though he knew them at once. “Don’t you 
all know it’s against regulations to bring your rum 
rations inside of you on one of Uncle Sam’s boats 
this war?” 

But it happened that the destroyer Ferry was 
at this moment crossing the outer bar ; for the gen- 
tle riffles as they crossed the inside one had passed, 
so to speak, unnoticed. Therefore all three clung 
to the foretop ratlines, or whatever else was near, 
and gazed around at the yeasty rise and fall of the 
breakers in a surprise not simulated. It was as 
if they had been transferred at one breath from 


68 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

the quiet of a mill-pond to the upheavals of a 
storm-ridden sea. But while surprise, not un- 
mingled with nausea, ruled them, the ship glided 
swiftly, silently out into a vast but gentle undula- 
tion of glassy waters, which was merely the or- 
dinary rise and fall of the ocean’s surface even 
in moments of calm, like the present. 

‘‘You know Snoddy, don’t you, Mr. — er — ^Rains ? 
And this is Telly — you and he know each other? 
Bully fellows, both, even though their full cog- 
nomens are Truesby and Snodgrass.” 

“Reckon I orter know ’em. Telly here is brash 
on signaling the gals, I hear. Snoddy was so 
anxious to shake Uncle Sam’s hands that he paid 
out good money to come all the way to Great 
Lakes on purpose. Well, boys, you’re at sea at 
last, and you hain’t seen much of little old New 
York yet, have ye ? ” 

Rains grinned easily, while the boys, still hold- 
ing to the ratlines, stared wonderingly about at 
the vanishing shoreline and at the misty widening 
of the ocean horizon opening before them. Sud- 


THE DESTROYER CROSSES OUTER BAR 69 

denly one of them, the lad from Wichita, fell 
against the low bulwark and relieved himself of 
his supper. Gulping, he at last mopped, his face 
with his kerchief, saying : 

‘‘What’s the matter with me? I been on Lake 
Michigan in a blow, but hit ain’t a patch to this! 
Dead calm here, too.” 

Telfair was not seasick like his friend, but the 
first wabbles of the ship still exercised their sway. 
He held to a ratline, gazing up through the steel 
meshings that supported a tiny lookout box far 
up above, whence at intervals certain signal lights 
flashed across the ocean. 

“I’ve been on shipboard before,” he remarked, 
“but Galveston Bar never used me just like this. 
I say, Mr. Rains — ” 

“Call me Billy, you,” remarked the gunner’s 
mate sourly. “Call me Billy, or I’ll get real 
mad.” 

Already the boys knew that Rains was “josh- 
ing” them. They had called him almost anything 
back in the training camps, but out here on the 


70 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

warship — well, would he stand for it? Evidently 
he did, from those he liked. That he liked Trum- 
bull and TrumbulPs comrades was evident, 
head’s dizzy yet,” continued Telly. 
‘‘Here’s our remedy for that,” interposed the 
mate. “It’s a good one, too.” 

Seizing Telly by the trousers’ slack and neck 
collar, he bodily hoisted him up until his foot 
rested on the low gunwale of the ship. 

‘ ‘ Grab those ratlines ! ” he commanded. ‘ ‘ Grab 
’em like you knew what they was ! Shin up ’em 
until you kin say howdy to the man there, and ask 
him which v/ay the wind blows — see ? ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ But — but there ’s no wind blowing — ’ ’ 

“Yes, there be! That is, up there. Shin up 
and see. Away you go ! ” 

Finding there was no honorable retreat. Telly 
“shinned up,” being familiar with ship’s ratlines 
at home. Flis head really cleared as he climbed. 
Arrived at the top, he found a round steel plat- 
form that would be a tight squeeze for two or 
three men, surrounded by an iron framework to 


THE DESTROYER CROSSES OUTER BAR 71 

whicli was tightly stretched waterproof tarpaulin 
both as a wind shield and a protection against 
falling otf in a seaway. Inside squatted two 
Jackies of an older class, both engaged in a game 
of penny pitch-and-toss beneath the rays of a 
small signal lantern held upon a hook between 
them. Neither had seen or heard the new ar- 
rival. For an instant Telly looked; then he said 
as they again threw : 

^^ITl take heads, please!’’ 

One look upward they gave at the grinning face 
looking down. But before either framed a reply 
Telly continued; 

‘‘Say, you boys, which way is the wind blowing 
up here?” 

Whereat one of the two, reaching for a short 
club in a corner behind, sprang up, almost upset- 
ting the lantern and belched forth ; 

“Git back down, you landlubber!” 

The other, also rising up wrathy beyond reason, 
threw his pennies into Telly’s face as he yelled: 

‘ ‘ What you mean, you fresh-water land loafer ? ’ ’ 


72 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

‘^Only this,’^ remarked Telly calmly, although 
he was seething at the apparent affronts thus put 
upon him. ‘‘Gunner’s Mate Rains wanted to 
know ! He ’ll also want to know why you are play- 
ing pitch-and-toss instead of keeping your eyes 
skinned for — for doughheads and land-crabs — like 
me, for instance.” 

Strange to say, this enigmatic reply instead of 
raising their wrath yet more, brought a grin upon 
both faces. One of them said : 

“For a doughhead I guess you’re all right. 
Tell Mr. Rains, with our compliments, that the 
wind’s straight up and down. Savvy?” 

With that the two, dropping their game, ad- 
justed the lantern to its proper hook, lifted the 
mouthpiece to a tube leading to the bridge or the 
engine room or somewhere else where authority 
reigned, and Telfair heard him ask : 

“Cruiser’s lights to sou ’«sou ’east. Do we sig- 
nal?” 

“No more words for Mr. Rains, I suppose?” 
queried Telly, longing at th© same time to lam- 


THE DESTROYER CROSSES OUTER BAR 73 

baste one or both for their apparent negligence. 

‘^Nit, you land-crab!’’ This from the one who 
had first sprung up. ‘‘Wind straight up and 
down, I told you! For a nickel I’d fan you!” 
And he again brandished his club. “You’re a spy 
— damn you!” 

“If you and I are to be shipmates, you duffer,” 
returned Telly lazily, “I’ll give you a chance to eat 
your words. We may be doughheads, but we 
don’t crawl, nor do we crawfish on duty.” And 
Telly began his descent, while one face peered 
down over the tarpaulin, its owner saying: 

“You’ll crawfish all right! Don’t forgit that 
otf ’n your mind.” 

“Well, what did them fools say?” demanded 
Rains as Telly slipped down the ratlines. “Do 
they know they’re awake yet!” 

“Said the wind was blowing straight up and 
down, sir.” 

“Just what I expected! They were joshing 
you. What were they doing! I haven’t seen 
their lantern since we been out here. Ah — there 


74 


OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


it is now ! Guess they are signaling the cruiser. ’ ’ 

Telly, not being a talebearer, made no reply to 
Rains’ query, but he remarked: ‘^One of ’em 
wanted to smash my head at first. Guess they 
thought they were also being joshed, seeing there 
is no wind. ’ ’ 

By this time, having passed all the bars, and 
swinging easily over the smooth swells of the now 
comatose ocean. Telly found that he was fully re- 
covered from his first qualm of nausea. Both 
Trumbull and Snodgrass had gone below again 
and presently he followed suit, feeling that a short 
nap before reaching the cruiser, or doing whatever 
yet remained to be done during the night, might be 
a good thing. 

‘‘All the same,” he thought, “if we remain to- 
gether on the same ship, I will take special pains 
to even up myself with those two chaps.” 

As for the gunner’s mate, it is doubtful if that 
veteran mariner gave a second thought as to the 
likelihood of any bad blood following Telly’s trip 
up the steel tower of the forward top. 


THE DESTROYER CROSSES OUTER BAR 75 


‘^The boy, though used to the old-time shippin’ 
in Gralveston Bay, had a touch of old Nep^s wust 
side cornin’ on him. What’s better for a case of 
stomach creeps than a good climb with an exciting 
blow-otf at the end? I wonder what them look- 
outs was at, anyhow? My youngster wouldn’t 
tell — no more than if they’d lied to him they’d seen 
a U-boat dodgin’ by into the lower bay.” 

By this time it was four bells in the early morn- 
ing watch. In three hours more it would be dawn. 
Already Telly’s comrades were apparently sound 
asleep. 

Two things rather surprised Telfair. One, that 
his attack, of nausea was completely gone. The 
other, that already he seemed to feel that here was 
his true home. He, the son of a sea captain, raised 
on the coast ; where else would it be more appropri- 
ate for him to feel at home than here, in the serv- 
ice of his country, fighting for liberty, for democ- 
racy, for the common good of all? 


CHAPTER V 


S. O. S. AiTD THE SEA KAIDER 

Let us skip three or four days, giving the fresh- 
water Jackies time to get hold of their sea legs ; 
also to become used to the regular routine of daily 
drill, discipline, keeping themselves and their sur- 
roundings clean and ship-shape, knowing with 
whom they were, where they were, and with whom 
they were to be most associated. 

Unceasingly they were kept at semi-daily gun- 
drill, even firing at stray dots on the ocean sur- 
face, such as the spout of a porpoise, the bobbing 
rise and fall of ducks, sea-gulls, or the wiggly 
wash of stray spars, or other discarded refuse of 
some previous passing vessel. Drills there were 
in the mechanical routine of dropping mock depth 
bombs ; in rigging and manipulating the overside 
torpedo, several of these — ^mere shells — being 
speciously contrived with a mock filling that would 
7 « 


S. 0. S. AND THE SEA EAIDER 77 

discharge a mock bullet at whatever the tube was 
aimed — usually some floating wreckage or live 
bird or fish. 

In turn they discharged their assigned duties as 
part of port or starboard watches, while all, by 
pairs or quartettes, would occupy the lookout tow- 
ers both forv/ard and aft, where they were drilled 
in the usual signals and calls with which lookouts 
in real service must familiarize themselves. 

Each morning at mid-dog watch, the minor 
officers would call the roll of their special charges 
during the nautical day ; and at night an alternate 
series of watches would go through pretty much 
the same program. Gradually they grew familiar 
with the navy slang in vogue in destroyer service 
so that to be termed a mere ‘‘gob^’ had nothing 
in it offensive or repugnant, but the reverse. 

Nearing the war-zone, increased watchfulness 
was drummed into the recruits from morntng un- 
til night, then again from night until morning. At 
this the burly Jacky whom w^e have met under 
the name of Sousa Siorouse increased his grum- 


78 


OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


bling from watch to watch. With him in this was 
the same Jacky who threatened Telly on that first 
night off the bar when, instead of giving more heed 
to the cruiser’s night lights Telly, under orders 
from Rains to ascend to the lookout, caught two of 
them at pitch-and-toss and had pennies thrown in 
his face in consequence. Both these Jackies, to- 
gether with our own quartette — Telfair, Trumbull, 
Snodgrass and Smith, or S. 0. S., as he was now 
more generally known — and two veteran sailors 
formed alternately the night and day watches un- 
der the special supervision of gunner’s mate Billy 
Rains. 

Billy, though just in the main, was severe, and — 
on duty — knew no favorites. The opposing 
watches were under another mate, while Brewster, 
chief gunner, had authority over both. There 
were other watches also, but mostly pertaining to 
the gun crews, and composed of men of longer 
service, greater active experience, and mostly 
older in years. 

The junior gun-crews were at practice on a 


S. 0. S. AND THE SEA RAIDER 79 

fragment of floating wreckage somewhere in mid- 
eastern North Atlantic, and Sprouse, with another 
lad called Mohr, was doing the sighting and shoot- 
ing for the time being. Rains, his watch in hand, 
was timing their rather dilatory proceedings. 

‘‘Get a move on!^’ snarled Billy impatientl}^, 
snapping to his watch. “S^pose that thar comb- 
ing yonder was the conning tower of a sub, in the 
act of sinkin \ where ^d be the chance for you two ? ’ ’ 

“We’d git her all right,” replied Mohr lazily. 
‘ ‘ W atch me — now I’ ’ 

He pulled the cord attached to the mock tor- 
pedo swinging alongside, which Sprouse was sup- 
posed to hold with another line directly upon the 
distant bobbing object, which was, however, quite 
distinct. 

Sprouse, manipulating his own line, somehow 
managed to cross it over the trigger cord held by 
Mohr, who just then gave his cord a sharp jerk. 
The gauging trigger below was caught by the slack 
of Sprouse’s line, thus neutralizing the desired 
effect of the jerk given by Sprouse. The torpedo, 


80 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

instead of firing, merely wiggled under the jerk, 
but failed to fire. Other Jackies who were wait- 
ing their turns grinned and commented among 
themselves. Solly, leaning lazily against the for- 
ward gun carriage, haw-hawed right out loud. 
Rains was proceeding to give the two the usual 
lecture when Telly, passing close to Mohr, re- 
marked sotto voce: 

^ ^You’re no better at torpedoing than you were 
at pitch-and-toss. Better get a move on your eye- 
sight, bo.’’ 

This coming directly after Solly’s laugh was too 
much for Mohr, who was the Jacky backing 
Sprouse in grumbling, and also one of the two 
‘‘pitch-and-tossers” whom Telly had so surprised 
their first night aboard. 

‘^You be damned!” exclaimed Mohr, hauling off 
with a steel adjuster that he happened to have in 
his hand. But Rains, close by, deflected the blow 
by thrusting his rattan cane, carried only when 
on duty, in such a way that the tool hit only the 
air with a sharp swish, and in some way escaped 


S. 0. S. AND THE SEA RAIDER 


81 


Mohr’s grip, dropping overboard with a splash. 

At the instant Telly ‘^saw red.” Already he 
had a justifiable grouch at Mohr. Like a piston 
his own fist shot out, catching Mohr under the jaw 
and toppling him almost to the deck. Rains 
caught him, then wheeled upon Truesby quick as 
a flash, at the same time yanking forward the now 
surprised Solly. 

‘ ^ For a nickel I ’d lick you both ! ” he gritted be- 
tween his teeth. it wasn’t I knew ye, both 
on ye, the commander ’d hear o ’ this ! ’ ’ 

Wheeling upon Sprouse and Mohr, the latter 
recovering from Telly’s blow and both of them 
boldly bristling, not at Rains, but at the two junior 
Jackies, the gunner’s mate Rains bellowed: 

^‘Drop your hands and hold your tongues! 
You’re the two lazy ones of this watch; that is, ex- 
cept with your tongues. Otf you go, both on ye, to 
the chief gunner ! Tell him I said to lock ye both 
up. I’ll see him later.” 

^‘But, Mr. Rains,” began Sprouse, ‘‘canna you 
no let oop yust leetle 1 I no inten — ’ ’ 


82 


OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


apologize, Mr. Rains, interposed Telly. 

I had not slipped in my sass edgewise when 
Sprouse missed fire, he probably wouldn’t have 
tried to hit me. Would you, Mohr?” 

Mohr’s reply was unintelligible. Meantime 
Solly, having collected his slow wits after his 
hoarse laugh, bulged his huge frame amiably for- 
ward, touching his cap to Rains. 

ortn’t to have laughed, sir,” he began. 
^‘They was tryin’ to shoot all right, I guess. Me 
and Telly was fust in the wrong, I guess — ” 

‘ ^ Oh, dry right up, both on ye ! ” roared Rains, 
blustering the harder in order to disguise his real 
approbation. ‘ ^ Who do ye think I am, all on ye ? ” 
Turning his back to Truesby and Smith, he pointed 
along the gangway: ‘‘You two — git!” meaning 
Sprouse and Mohr. “You tell Mr. Brewster just 
what I tells you to tell him — see? Now va- 
moose!” 

They retired towards the stem, somewhat puz- 
zled, grumbling to themselves, yet feeling that 
Rains was one to be obeyed. 


S. 0. S. AND THE SEA KAIDER 


83 


Shortly after, when the squad was relieved from 
duty, Rains marched back to where Chief Gunner 
Brewster was conferring with one of the higher 
officers, no less than the second in command, Lieu- 
tenant Holworth. Rains came to attention with a 
salute, saying : 

‘^I’d like to see ye ’bout them two stodgy young- 
sters I sent back for you to discipline, sir. ’ ’ 

^^Go ahead, Billy,” returned Brewster half 
wearily. ‘‘What’s the use of sending me boys for 
the ‘coop’ unless you mean what you say?” 

“I do mean what I say, sir. Them chaps de- 
sarve a spell of the lock-up. But two of the best 
youngsters in my watch rayther helped them on in 
bein’ onruly. I can’t punish them, for they don’t 
desarve it. Both on ’em ’s bully good at anything 
you put up to ’em. Considerin’ everything, I 
reckon you’d better let them two slugs out, give 
’em a reprimand on general carelessness, and — 
let ’em go.” 

Brewster knit his brow while Holworth sup- 
pressed a grin of amusement and perhaps sympa- 


84 


OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


thy with both. Finally Brewster slapped Billy on 
the back and gave him a playful shove, saying : ' 

‘ ^ Go along, you boob ! Between your desire to 
play fair and your feeling that blunders should be 
punished, you half the time don’t know just what 
you do want ! Ain ’t that so, Billy ? ’ ’ 

^‘Ye don’t onderstand, sir. Nor you can’t, 
either. The ins and outs of tryin’ to make Farri- 
guts and Deweys of all these young blobs you turn 
over to me and others would puzzle a Phil’delphy 
lawyer. Anyway, you know I only want to do 
what’s right by ’em, eh I” 

‘‘I suppose you do, and I guess in the long run 
you will. You have the key? No — here ’tis. 
Now, oif with you ! We are in the edge of the war 
zone, Billy, and mistakes must be cut out, espe- 
cially by officers.” 

Billy sauntered offi, shaking his head perplex- . 
edly. Going to the cramped dark closet used for 
minor punishment on occasion. Rains unlocked the 
door and, without looking, called out: 

Come out, ye boobs ! Me and the chief gunner 


S. O. S. AND THE SEA RAIDER 


85 


have concluded to let ye off this time — and^ — 
wha-at?’^ He was staring at a pair of recum- 
bent forms leaning against each , other and ap- 
parently both asleep. He kicked them on the soles 
of their boots, and bawled forth: 

‘^Come out o’ that! Can’t ye git enough sleep 
in your hammocks, or off duty watches? Out o’ 
that, I say ! ’ ’ 

Thus roused, the recumbent Jackies blinkingly 
rose and slunk forward, not without a certain 
aspect of sullenness on the part of both. 

‘‘Mind ye!” he roared after them. “No more 
of this matter ! When you two meets them other 
two, you’re to pass each other jest as if nothing 
ever’d happened. Mind that now, or it’ll be wuss 
for you both!” 

Returning to his own quarters for an hour or 
so, he reflected: 

“Somehow they both on ’em gits my gorge 
risin’. They sure do! Now why is that? I do 
wonder if I’m fair to my doughboys, all round?” 

With the approach of a misty North Atlantic 


86 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

iiiglitfall the Ferry all at once caught up a new 
wireless from out the upper air. Unexpectedly, 

of course. But it is in giving heed to the unex- 

/ 

pected in wartime that often leads to unexpected 
results, sometimes unfortunate, yet sometimes 
more than gratifying. It so happened that one of 
the two Jackies in the lookout foretop was our 
friend Solly; for by now orders were issued that 
the foretop lookout should consist of but two sail- 
ors, one of whom must be a veteran ; that is, one 
who had served on a destroyer at least three 
months; and, insofar as possible, within the war 
zone. 

Of these two the older Jacky was one who had 
been cruising therein practically ever since Ad- 
miral Sims went across with the first batch of the 
American fleet. He was a squatty, clean-shaven, 
bottle-nosed chap, with a humorous eye squint, a 
knife-like pair of lips, and bleared eyes, humorous 
yet sharp. 

Of all things it was an S. 0. S. call. 

“They’re wantin’ you, Solly,” said he, laying 


S. 0. S. AND THE SEA RAIDER 87 

down the tube connecting with the bridge and wire- 
less room. ‘‘You’re to keep a keen lookout.” 

“Me? How’s that? Who can watch anything 
long at a time with this damn top swingin’ back 
and forth like the flagpole they wave on the Fourth, 
when the band plays the ‘Star-Spangled’?” 

Solly was grinning, however, as he wedged him- 
self tighter in the circular canvas, steel bound, 
'that rose nearly to their caps as they squatted in 
a space that ordinarily is not too comfortable 
for one sizable man. “Say, Blet, you’re kiddiii’ 
me!” 

Joe Blettinger, of nondescript foreign paren- 
tage, grinned a bit himself as he handed the tube 
to Solly, who, listening, began to wonder him- 
self. 

“It says ‘S. 0. S.’ sure ’nough. But who?” 
He was shouting down the tube. 

“S. 0. S. St. Arabia, East-so’east. Get that, 
you ninny? Keep your eyes peeled! We’re go- 
ing after her ! ’ ’ 

“ ’Tain’t me, Blet. It’s a steamer — Arabia,^ ^ 


88 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

Turning Ms lips to the tube, ‘^All right; youTe 
on, sir ! ’ ’ Then turning again to Blettinger, who 
was cutting off a quid from a square of Brown 
Mule, ^‘HowM you make out they was wantin’ me? 
What’s she want of me?” 

‘^Wanted S. 0. S., didn’t she?” Blet again 
smiled. Ain’t you S. 0. S.?” 

‘^Oh, you give me a pain!” Solly looked hurt. 

Won’t that old joke on my initials never wear 
off?” 

Blettinger did not reply. He was looking over 
the top of the canvas screen through the binocu- 
lars in the direction from which had come the 
strange call. Instantly Solly did the same thing. 
After a moment or more Blet relaxed sufficiently 
to spit, when Solly uttered a faint cry. Then, 
still looking through the glasses, he said : 

‘ ‘ Look just half a point north of where the wire- 
less said. What is that on the very tip of the 
horizon?” 

After another minute of careful scrutiny, Blet 
shook his head. 


S. 0. S. AND THE SEA RAIDER 


89 


‘‘Don’t see notliin’. Got bugs in your noddle, 
son?” 

But Solly merely grunted, the glasses still at 
his eyes, his big legs wedged to keep himself from 
losing balance as the narrow-bladed hull of the 
long destroyer swayed and pitched under an evi- 
dently increasing sea. Blet took another look — a 
long look, then suddenly reached for the tube, 
shouting down it to whoever was on the bridge : 

“Steamer, sir, half point north of east so ’-east. 
No smoke, but tliar’s a smudge off half a point 
southerly from there; right where S. 0. S. came 
from. Too far otf to distinguish anything fur- 
ther, sir.” 

‘*'Very well! Keep your eyes skinned more 
than ever. ’ ’ 

“All right, sir! But, I say! It was one of 
them young Jackies fust saw the steamer. I 
hain’t seen nothin’ but what he showed me.” 

“That’ll do, Blet.” Holworth’s voice was 
speaking through the tube. “What’s his name, 
did you say?” 


90 


OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


‘^Didn’t say, sir. But he goes on board by the 
name of S. 0. S. ^mong them as knows him best. 
So he was lookin’ for your S. O. S. when he — ” 

^‘That will do!” and the connection was sum- 
marily cut short. 

Solly, meanwhile, taking all this in, at first 
looked confused, and then said : 

‘ ^ That was very nice of you, Blet. What made 
you do it?” 

‘‘Guess ’cause I’m a dumb fool.” Blet’s eyes 
twinkled their most humorous twinkle as both 
turned again to their observations, while the de- 
stroyer was roaring away in the direction indi- 
cated at a speed of from thirty-five to near forty 
knots. In the meantime the night was approach- 
ing, though the afternoon fog had thinned out be- 
fore an icy breeze from the north and the later 
hours promised to be clear. 

Solly kept sweeping his glass across the point 
where, for an instant, he had seen that shadowy, 
phantom steamer. Was it a phantom or a reality? 


S. 0. S. AND THE SEA RAIDER 


91 


‘‘Say, he asked, “could that steamer I 

saw be a mirage?’’ 

“Hardly, for the sun was glimpsed but once, and 
then a mere passing gleam. Hullo — what ’s this ? ’ ’ 

Blet grabbed the tube at a signal from below, 
clapping his ear to it. Meantime Solly, unsat- 
isfied, was still scanning the horizon. All at once 
he detected the same thing as before, only that the 
smudge of smoke had grown into a steady stream, 
thick and black, as if coal had been freshly ap- 
plied to the furnaces. Then while he looked, all at 
once the vision vanished. He recalled something 
he had read or heard once that certain cloudlike 
reflections at certain weather conditions — not 
necessarily sunshiny or starry — will throw a mir- 
age perhaps into the air or elsewhere. 

Suddenly Blettinger turned from the tube, say- 
ing: 

“That Arabia is about to be attacked — not by 
a sub, though, but a genuine vessel. They warn 
us not to skimp in keeping a good watch-out.” 


92 


OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


‘ ‘ Tell you what, Blet ! That steamer I — we saw 
for an instant was no mirage. I bet it’s the one 
that is attacking the Arabia, W^eTl sure hear 
guns off there, won’t we? It’s a sea-raider, don’t 
you think?” 

Don’t know! But you keep that glass on the 
move. Damme! I believe your eyes are better ’n 
mine up here!” and Blet spat self -disgustedly. 

At this juncture, notwithstanding the noise and 
roaring of the rapid progress, there came 

a faint, muffled echo, that was presently repeated. 

‘‘Guns are goin’!” cried the older seaman. 


“ W^e ’ll bust up that raidin ’ yet ! ’ ’ 


CHAPTER VI 


A SCRAP WITH THE ENEMY 

Memories of what lie had carelessly read con- 
cerning the Moehwe, and other Atlantic Boche 
raiders in the recent past now flashed through 
Solly’s mind. 

He was not very bright mentally, but the fact 
that he had probably first discovered the presence 
of another raider, by mirage reflection as it were, 
gave him a flip of enthusiasm. 

‘^Say, Blet, ain’t our watch about up? If 
there’s goin’ to be a scrimmage, I wants to be in 
it!” 

‘^You’ll be in it, all right! And here’s the new 
watch climbin ’ up. ” 

Rustling up the ratlines came the sound of as- 
cending hands and feet. The swarthy visage of 
Sprouse peered over the canvas screen. Behind 


93 


94 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

him was Mohr who, having been on one previous 
destroyer cruise, was designated by easy red-tape 
as a ‘Veteran^’ in the sense of being company for 
Jackies now on their first trip. Blettinger re- 
garded these two with no favorable welcome. 

‘‘Who sent you up here?’’ he demanded. 

“We came up on orders, ’ ’ replied Mohr. “How 
else?” 

“ Yell ! On ze orders from ze bridge. W e maka 
good.” 

‘ ‘ See that you do, or there ’ll be trouble — sure ! ’ ’ 

Blettinger climbed out, followed by Solly, to 
whom Sprouse muttered between gritted teeth : 

“I feex you-a yet. Yes — you-a, and zat Teel- - 
fair.” 

“Oh, dry up!” was Solly’s only reply. 

Descending to the deck, they came upon T^lly 
and Snodgrass disputing as to who should go up 
and remain with Mohr. 

“Up you go!” commanded Rains, coming up 
on the run. “We ’re' on to Mohr. You tip us if 
he goes wrong. ’ ’ 


A SCRAP WITH THE ENEMY 


95 


^^But there’s two up there already,” said Blet- 
tinger. ^ ‘ I don ’t like either. ’ ’ 

“How? What two? Not that Sprouse, I 
hope ! ’ ’ 

“He’s the gob,” replied Blet. “Them two are 
too chummy by half. Say the word and I’ll take 
Telly and oust them both. I don’t mind double 
watch rather than them. What say, Eains ? ’ ’ 

“Why, they said they went up on orders,” said 
Solly. “I thought it queer, myself. Ah, here 
comes Mr. Brewster I” 

“Did you send Mohr and that snipy Sprouse up 
to relieve us, sir!” 

Thus spoke Rains while Brewster, eyeing the 
lookout top swaying dizzily forty feet up in the 
air, suddenly wheeled, replying : 

“I ordered two trusty men into the top on the 
quick. They’re needed, for we don’t know what 
we may run up against shortly. Follow me, you 
two!” indicating Telly and Blet. Then to the 
latter: “It’s got so I can’t tell who from which, 
since these new Jackies came aboard. It’ll be a 


96 


OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


trifle hard on you, but weTl make it up to you. 
As for that Sprouse, his name ought to be Sprauss 
or some such Boche cognomen. ’ ’ 

Up the three went, crowding the ratlines. Pres- 
ently down came Mohr and the namesake of Sousa, 
grumbling and growling. 

‘‘I would-a poonch zey haids,” Sprouse emitted. 
‘^Zat Teelfair, he no good.^’ 

‘‘Rats!’’ remarked Solly. “Your head’ll be 
the one punched, if any is. ’ ’ 

“Ha — you!” Sprouse seemed suddenly to lose 
all self-control. ‘ ‘ I keel-a you ! ’ ’ 

And he made a pass at Solly which that lusty 
youth parried so violently that Sprouse only saved 
himself from going over the low destroyer bul- 
warks by catching to his comrade Mohr. Then 
both vanished back to their deck quarters at one of 
the aft guns. 

“Trouble’s brewin’ among you f reshies,” re- 
marked Rains. ‘ ‘ Keep clear of it if you can ; but 
if you can’t, let ’em both have the best you got. ’ ’ 

So the thing was smoothed over, but there was 


A SCRAP WITH THE ENEMY 


97 


certainly bad blood brewing. The chief gunner, 
after assigning Bains with his crew to their own 
quarters round the bow gun well along forward, 
hurried oft on other duties. With Bains were 
Trumbull, Snodgrass and Soll}^ 

Said Trumbull to Snoddy: 

< < Terry is beginning to show his metal. Beckon 
weTl get within range of that raider before she 
runs oft 

‘^By the way that wireless was coming in and 
the sound of them guns, something’s doing, sure.” 

The night was now on at last. A nasty sea roll- 
ing down from the north sent, icy waves over the 
bow as the Perry sank and rose or, under the high 
speed still maintained, plowed through the bil- 
lows regardless of comfort or even the safety of 
those stationed at the more exposed posts. By 
relays Bains' sent his crew below for their oil- 
skins and other rough weather paraphernalia. 
When Trumbull came back, among the last, he met 
Mohr, also hurrying aft and clad likewise. The 
two collided in the narrow gangway. 


98 


OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


‘‘Out of my wsijV^ ordered Molir, bristling. 
“I^m sent to the bridge 

Trumbull, still a novice, drew aside without 
reply, but halted and looked back, seeing Mohr 
turn into the small wireless room instead of mount- 
ing the bridge stairs, and directly thereafter heard 
a dull thump as of a falling body. His curiosity 
was excited. Should he hurry back to his post, or 
investigate as to why Mohr should thus prevari- 
cate ? 

“I see no reason unless he was up to devilment. 
He’s a U. S. seaman, but is under suspicion by 
those who see most of him, if not by those higher 
up.” 

While thus cogitating, he drew insensibly nearer 
to the wireless, looked in and saw the wireless desk 
vacant, and heard a door slam — one on the star- 
board side. Quick as possible, and without rea- 
soning why, he dodged through a gangway to the 
opposite side, coming violently in collision with 
a form in oilskins that was hurrying aft — right in 


A SCRAP WITH THE ENEMY 99 

the direction of the gun and crew to which both 
Mohr and Sprouse belonged. 

Trumbull was not specially husky, but he was 
stooping, and his head and elbows butting into 
the other, knocked the latter’s breath from him 
and he fell, his face fairly in the spotlight 
from a shaded lantern under the lee of a lifeboat, 
so arranged that while the deck was lighted, all 
above was in deep shadow. 

One sight of that face; then Trumbull turned 
and ran for the bridge. He met the wireless man 
coming down, swearing to himself. 

‘ ‘ Come with me, ’ ’ said Trumbull, whom he knew. 
^‘Let me show you the chap that got you away 
from your desk. ” 

Don’t know who it was, but he said the com- 
mander wanted me right away. Didn’t see his 
face — a-ah ! ” 

A prostrate figure was striving to rise, but in 
the instant the telltale face of Mohr was for a sec- 
ond revealed to the wireless man, as Mohr, still 


100 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


struggling for the breath which Trumbull had 
knocked out of him, was gasping while groping to 
his feet. 

^^Coine on!’^ said Trumbull. ^Ht’s Mohr. I 
saw him enter your room, when he told me he was 
going on the bridge. ’ ’ 

But Mohr, seeing only shapeless intruders, - 
scrambled off, Trumbull in pursuit. The opera- 
tor, as if divining mischief, broke for his room 
and saw what had been done. Probably no mes- 
sage had been sent, but the whole circuit was dis- 
connected by wrenching loose a vital part of the 
desk apparatus, that had somehow disappeared. 

In a trice he called up the tube to the bridge, ask*- 
ing the commander to come do^vn as soon as pos- 
sible. 

‘‘Wireless out of order, sir,” was his last word 
that presently brought down the second officer^ 
saying; 

“What in hades is the matter!” thea he . 
stopped, staring. 

An iron bar lay at his feet. 


A SCRAP WITH THE ENEMY 


101 


The wireless man was following a thin wire lead- 
ing from the desk to the opposite or starboard 
door. He followed it to the low deck rail, whence 
it hung, 'as if something heavy depended there- 
from. Reckless of electric shocks, he drew this 
up, disclosing at the end his missing annunciator, 
from which sparks were flashing. Just then the 
officer came in, picking up the iron bar with which 
the wrenching loose had doubtless been done. 

Meantime Trumbull, satisfied that something 
serious was impending, rushed after the fleeing 
Mohr, who was striving by dodging here and there 
in the gloom still to avoid detection. But just as 
he arrived where his own gun crew was still 
holding fast, with the ship’s wild swaying under 
her terrific speed, Mohr’s feet stumbled against 
an ejection pipe crossing the narrow deck, and 
down he went, again with a shock that momentar- 
ily deprived him of sense and motion. Trumbull 
pounced upon him, calling upon the crew to help 
secure a probable traitor. Instantly, at the word, 
Sousa Sprouse sprang forward, saying: 


102 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


‘^Who-a call a man traitor hereT^ and would 
have jerked Trumbull off had not some of the gun 
crev7 interfered, keeping Sprouse back. 

Just then, bearing a dark lantern, appeared 
Chief Gunner Brewster, fresh from the bridge 
and the scene in the wireless room, upon which he 
had entered in time to see the operator with the 
second officer's aid reinstating the apparatus 
which after all was but slightly damaged. 

The wireless man, being an expert, had rewound 
the untangled wire, readjusted the connections and 
was surprised, in the midst, to receive the fag end 
of a wireless that said : 

‘^Raider escaping. Wireless here says de- 
stroyers are coming. Help ! Being torpedoed by 
submarine — canT see her — not hit yet — V’ 

‘^That shows there’s a traitor aboard,’’ said 
Brewster. ^H’ll investigate.” So back he came 
at the moment when Sprouse was delivering him- 
self of his pivotal question. 

‘‘I’ll make sure of you, for one,” said the chief 
gunner, seizing the swarthy man and handing him 


A SCRAP WITH THE ENEMY 103 

over to two others. ‘^Hold him fast, you!’’ he 
ordered. 

Then he turned to Trumbull, who still main- 
tained his hold upon the now struggling Mohr. 
Other Jackies, attracted by the commotion, were 
among the gathering crowd. ‘^Two more of you 
outside of this gun crew!” called Brewster. 
^ ^ There, take him down with the other one. In the 
strong room with both, and station a guard ! ’ ’ 
Almost instantly the two exposed Jackies v/ere 
removed, while Trumbull, turning away, was 
halted by the chief gunner. 

Aren’t you one of the new fresh-water Jack- 
ies?” he demanded. 

Yes, sir. My first cruise on salt water. ” 

Bully for you — er — what’s your name?” 
‘^Trumbull, sir, from Indiana, and later from 
the Great Lakes Station. ’ ’ 

^^Let us hope that station will send forth many 
more like you, boy. Go back to your billet, and 
good luck go with you!” He ended by seizing 
Trumbull’s hand, nearly wringing off his fingers. 


104 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


By the time wireless connection was renewed 
and the last calls from the distressed steamer were 
in, orders were tubed down to the engine and 
boiler rooms to put on the last ounce of steam the 
oil would furnish and increase speed to the limit 
— that is, with safety. 

Meanwhile up in that swaying foretop Blet- 
tinger and Telly were doing their best to discern if 
any signs were yet visible of the Arabia or her 
mysterious assailant, the sound of whose guns 
was by now audible. For a time they were silent^ 
bracing themselves against the swaying top. At 
last came a tube call from the bridge and wireless. 
Meantime other sounds from below and aft floated^* 
upward, but nothing could be distinguished more 
than that trouble of some kind seemed to be going 
on, 

^^Hope it^s nothing serious,^’ remarked Telly. 

‘Mf it is, bet your life one or both of them two 
guys is in it,'’ said Blet. ‘‘Won't I be glad when 
all this ruction 's over and I can warm up and get 
some sleep!" 


A SCRAP WITH THE ENE]\IY 105 

For some time no news came up from the bridge. 
Finally Blettinger called down the tube : 

‘‘Fireworks ahead, sir! Can^t see nothing, but 
we hears a plenty. ’ ’ 

All at once the firing ceased. After that noth- 
ing more happened until from the bridge came 
the word: 

‘ ‘ Submarine reported, off same quarter. Keep 
sharp lookout. ’ ’ 

“ Submarine ! ^ ^ exclaimed Telly. “What^s be- 
come of that raider, and why donT we hear more 
firing? We must be pretty close now.’^ 

“Can’t tell ye anything. It looks like things 
are gettin’ pretty well mixed up here. Hope the 
wireless has better luck.” This from Blettinger. 

Meanwhile the clouds had fled before the cold 
wind, and despite the nasty sea and the intense 
speed, a belated gray twilight began to make 
things dimly visible for two hundred yards or 
more ahead and on either side. Then, all at once, 
came the rushing sound as of some long, lithe ob- 
ject through the water and Telly was sure he saw 


106 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


a foamy streak off to one side* The roar of the 
destroyer’s engines was at the highest sounding 
pitch. 

The commander sent an order down the tube 
to the now readjusted wireless; 

‘‘Send — in code — ^to the Arabia, asking where 
she is. Have them reply in code. Be sure about 
that. Sea-raider or sub might otherwise catch 
on.” 

Presently up came a message from the wireless 
man, saying ; 

Arabia is all right. Raider ran away, doubt- 
less reading our signals when we were closing in. 
Had already fired several shots for Arabia fo* 
round to. They were lowering a boat, when all at 
once boat was rehoisted and raider steamed off 
full speed. About that time a torpedo was seen 
coming for ship, but, owing to dextrous steering, 
it missed. Doubtless that was the one the wake 
of which was seen by lookout. After that Arabia 
saw periscope five hundred yards abaft starboard 
beam. By that time our approach was heard and 


A SCRAP WITH THE ENEMY 107 

periscope vanished, Arabia^ meantime, steaming 
for us as fast as possible. Then — A pause, 
•during which the bridge fumed impatiently. 
Then: ‘^Just had another message winding up 
with S. O. S. Message was for us to hurry — ^being 
torpedoed again. 

Ordering the wireless to keep wiring, but all in 
code, the bridge further sent orders for all ‘‘gun 
crews and the lookout top to keep their eyes 
peeled. Submarines somewhere about. Arabia 
torpedoed again. 

On went the Perry, splitting the waves and ca- 
vorting in a way most discomforting to all on 
board. Suddenly there was a sharp, distant re- 
port from the opposite side to that on which the 
sub was supposed to be. At this juncture a black 
shadow loomed up along the port bovf which, on 
signaling, proved to be the Arabia, bound for a 
port somewhere in the war zone. 

“Keep right on!’’ flashed back the destroyer. 
“Go full speed. We will keep between you and 
the enemy.” All this in secret code. Presently 


108 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

the Arabia disappeared. But, meanwhile, that 
first report was followed by two others, each evi- 
dently aimed at the Perry and each coming closer. 

But the Perry, waiting until the Arabia wts be- 
ginning to show her heels, was training her bow 
gun upon a dim, distant shadow, evidently the 
raider, cautiously returning from her first re- 
tirement. At this juncture, from the lookout top 
came a hurried call down the tube, saying: 

^‘Another wake, sir.’^ The voice was Telly’s. 
‘‘Coming right towards us, six hundred yards off 
on port side abaft the quarter. Watch out — ” 

But already the alert bridge was sheering into 
a zigzagging course to starboard in a way that 
would bring the raider into more direct sight and 
range. An anxious minute followed. Fifty pair 
of young and old eyes sought for or found that 
wake, and a general feeling of relief followed as 
it was seen that the Perry had dodged the unwel- 
come intruder. Orders were issued for starboard 
guns fore and aft to train on the raider. Also 
orders came for Rains and his bow gun crew to 


A SCRAP WITH THE ENEMY 


109 


keep sharp lookout for any sign of the sub and to 
fire instanter at any suspicious appearance. 

The destroyer, while firing at the still distant 
raider, sheered to port in such a way as to bring 
the Perry in between the two foes and the fleeing 
Arabia and at the same time keeping sharp 
watches from both fore and aft tops for any sigm 
that might indicate the nearness of the sub. 

Along the rails were stationed Jackies with 
depth bombs handy, ready to drop one instantly 
at any sign that the under-sea U-boat was near 
enough. But insofar as appearances Tvent, the 
U-boat might be any^vhere else but here,, after the 
miss of her third torpedo. Torpedos are expen- 
sive and this sub had sacrificed at least three. 


CHAPTER VII 


te» 

SNODDY DROPS A DEPTH BOMB 

Among the most alert of the youths watching 
-along the rails was Dolly Snodgrass, the boy from 
Kansas who was so anxious to serve that he had 
paid his own way instead of waiting for Uncle Sam 
to send him. Snoddy had not much sea experi- 
ence, but what he lacked in that he more than made 
up in zeal. 

It was a strange, and in some respects an un- 
equal combat: an up-to-date modern destroyer,'* 
capable of thirty-five knots an hour upon occasion, 
with an equally modern U-boat on one hand and a 
German sea-raider on the other. The raider was 
doubtless unarmored, probably an improvised 
merchant tramp steamer fitted out as a roving 
privateer, yet capable of putting up a good fight 
under certain circumstances. 

no 


SNODDY DROPS A DEPTH BOMB 111 


While watching for the sub, a fierce reply was 
being made to the raider shots, none of which 
had, so far, hit the Perry, which at the same time, 
while keeping between the enemy and the retreat- 
ing Arabia, was doing a divided fight against a 
surface fighter and an under-sea one. 

A fifth shot launched from the raider ^s three- 
inch gun, now seen high mounted on her forecastle, 
came directly towards the Perry, still zigzagging 
in order to- lessen the chance of an under-sea aim, 
that might send still another torpedo after those 
already wasted. 

So busy were most of the crew watching for the 
unseen enemy, that a sudden crash forward, ac- 
companied by an explosion and a sound of tearing 
steel supports, came as a surprise. Trumbull, 
from his gun, was thrilled, then shocked at what 
had happened. The three-inch shell, niissing the 
hull, smashed right through the metal network that 
formed the support of the forward lookout top. 
The shock caused the shell to burst, though not 
until it had passed over the forward part of the 


112 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


Lull. A rain of shrapnel was showered about and 
several of the Jackies were hit. But what momen- 
tarily palsied him was the effect upon the two in 
the top, forty feet up. The top, heavy wi^ the 
weight of Blettinger and Telly, was careening 
backward while at the point of puncture a ragged 
gap in the network of rods and braces and the 
carrying away of the^ratlines made the lookouts’ 
situation rather grave. 

How would they get down? How would any 
one get up there? Trumbull viewed the thing 
from his landsman ’s aspect. But he was suddenly 
jarred from all thought of this mishap and its 
consequences by the cry from the lookout aft, that 
was instantly reechoed from the forward top in 
which, though sagging badly, both Blettinger and 
Telly were still doing their part, regardless of 
their own situation and its possible consequences. 
Blet was shouting down the bridge tube, while 
Telly was warning the decks of something — what? 
He listened more keenly. 

‘‘Watch out, boys!” sang out Telly. “We can 


SNODDY DROPS A DEPTH BOMB 113 


see the outline of that sub just under water, just 
forrard of the port quarter — ^watch out!’’ 

But others nearer to the new disturbance were 
watching out, it seemed. Dolly Snodgrass, re- 
sponding to cries from overhead aft, and noticing 
the aim of the lookout’s pointing finger, instantly 
resolved upon his own course. 

‘‘Hit or miss, I’m goin’ to try,” he said, grab- 
bing for the nearest depth bomb. “What’s she 
doin’ now?” 

A sudden bubbling among the waves betokened 
that the sub, if sub it was, had seen or sensed 
danger. Nonplussed by the signs, yet determined 
not to sufier the unwary sub to get further, Snoddy 
raised the bomb to the rail, poised it cumbrously in 
his arms and, after priming it for thirty seconds, 
cast it from him as far as he could. 

“Now you’ve done it, pal!” said his nearest 
mate. “And without orders, too. Lucky we’re 
going twenty-five knots. ’ ’ 

Several heads were watching over the rail, sens- 
ing what had been attempted. Snoddy, now that 


114 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

the die was cast, felt a shudder creep through him. 
Suppose the time set was too quick! AYould it 
get the Perry instead of the anonymous U-boat! 
The very aspect of possible consequencesf**was 
awful. 

Aside from Jackies near, who had seen him 
throw the bomb, the incident was apparently un- 
noticed. 

“Make ready with depth bombs!’’ sang out the 
voice of a quartermaster. There was the order at 
last, which Snoddy had anticipated by half a 
minute. Then — bang! A sloshy bang, yet tre- 
mendous in volume. 

From aft of the stern rose a column of water 
higher than the tallest top, or the aerials of the 
wireless below. From the deeps followed another 
bursting quake, that sent larger waves rolling 
after the Perry^s stern, now a hundred yards 
away. A yeasty jumble of frothy waves curled 
and circled about, while some one on the bridge, 
with night-glasses in use, sang shrilly out: 

‘ ^ A hit — a hit ! Who heaved that bomb ! ” 


SNODDY DEOPS A DEPTH BOMB 115 

For an instant Snoddy quaked in his sailor’s 
rubber shoes. 

The final order to heave a bomb never came. It 
was unnecessary. Even in the night one could see 
that some dire effect had taken place. Some one 
gave another order, and presently a yellowish- 
white globe of light was projected upward from 
the stern, bursting into a myriad of white flares, 
directly over the spot whence came the last explo- 
sion. Not only frothy waves but creamy spread- 
ings of oil were plentiful, while among other frag- 
ments, the lathy length of a periscope with its 
upper cap appeared in a whirling vortex of spume. 
At this a huge mutter of relief, exultation, joy, 
swept the observing crew. Another of Fritzy’s 
hellish devices had been sent where it belonged, 
according to all Allied ethical desires. 

By that time Snoddy began to realize just what 
he — the farm-boy from the Kansas prairies — had 
really done. Suppose he had waited for the or- 
ders that began a minute later, but were never 
finished, owing to the explosion that came off too 


110 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


soon, according to strict discipline! Should he 
have waited! If he had, would he have been in 
time, or would some one else have snatched the 
prize — or missed? 

He was far from feeling so exultant as he had 
premised, when along came Gunner’s Mate Rains, 
exultation and — to Snoddy — menace in his stride. 

‘‘Who heaved that thar bomb!” he demanded 
loudly. 

No answer. 

Again he repeated the question, louder than 
before. ‘ ‘ The captain — he wants to know ! ’ ’ 

Snoddy cleared his throat, when some one piped 
up: 

“I knows. It’s that chap there. Guess he’s 
afraid to own up. ’ ’ 

It was the chap nearest Snoddy, who had re- 
marked the performance as soon as Snoddy had 
done the heaving. 

Rains stopped at once, looking down upon the 
Kansan, who by his attitude seemed to anticipate 


SNODDY DROPS A DEPTH BOMB 117 

rebuke more than commendation. Billy laid a 
kindly hand upon Snoddy ’s shoulder. 

^‘Know what you’ve done, kid?” he demanded 
surlily, yet with funny twitches creasing his lined 
face. ‘ ^ Know just what you Ve done ? ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ Reckon by what I saw and what they say that 
we sunk that sub. I ’lowed that was what was 
wanted. And — ” 

‘‘Yes; but you sunk her without waitin’ for or- 
ders, didn’t ye?” 

“Why, Billy — dammit! What’s the use of 
waitin’ for orders when you feel she’s right there, 
at the exact spot, waitin’ for some one to do some- 
thing?” 

The hand on his shoulder gripped more tightly, 
as Rains gave a short laugh. 

< « Sure — you ’re right, Snoddy ! W e knows that ! 
But all the samee Captain Bevens, our commander, 
told me to find the hand what throwed that bomb 
and fetch him right away to the bridge. He wants 
to see ye. What for, I don’t know, but I might 


118. OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

guess. Doin’ things like this without orders be 
ticklish work, son,” 

By this time Snoddy was accompanying the 
mate along the decks towards the bridge. Mean- 
while the internal throbbing of the Perry in- 
creased, and she was again at her top speed. 
Noting this, Rains said : 

^‘See how we’re goin’, Snoddy. But for you 
we’d now be loafin’ round watchin’ out for Miat 
under-sea sneak, ’stead of hikin’ out to find that 
cussed raider that like to ’a’ got the Arabia.^’ 

As they passed, the Jackies by common insight, 
having heard Rains repeat his first formula as to 
wanting the lad that threw the bomb, divined that 
this fresh-water farm lad on his first salt-water 
cruise must be the fellow. With equally com- 
mon accord they waved at him, called after him, 
and more than one made breaks to shake hands. 
Gradually to Snoddy came the feeling that Rains 
was in some way kidding him. Why should he? 
Then all at once he knew. 

He himself had, with the best intentions and re- 


SNODDY DROPS A DEPTH BOMB 119 

suits, violated the strict letter of discipline: and 
discipline aboard a warship, in the war zone, was 
a ticklish thing to meddle with unadvisedly. 

At the foot of the bridge he saw Telly and Blet- 
tinger, assisted by several of the Jackies, tem- 
porarily repairing the break in the network of 
steel supports of the forward top, while a work- 
man or two from the engine-rooms below, with 
certain tools and spared steel rods and wire bind- 
ings, were taking care of the more technical parts 
of the job. 

Telly, with Trumbull, dropped everything and 
ran to Snoddy, saying : 

^^We heard it, Snod! We know who did it! If 
you’d waited for the order, mebbe you wouldn’t 
have hit the U-boat at all. More than that,” 
Telly was now speaking, ‘Mhe captain knows it 
too. Bully for you, old top!” 

As for Blettinger, he grinned from ear to ear 
and gave Snoddy a handgrip that would have 
made kim wince had he not by this time been 
keyed up for most anything from reprimands and 


120 OUE JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


dark-cell sentence to general approval, even by the 
highest on board. 

In another minute or two Snodgrass and Rains 
met Commander Bevens at the head of the bridge 
stairs. Both Rains and the Jacky punctiliously 
saluted. 

^^This is the lad what heaved that bomb, sir, 
what knocked Fritzy into a cocked hat, and — 

suppose you mean that this boy sank the 
submarine,’’ interrupted Bevens, smiling, yet eye- 
ing Snodgrass non-committally. ^‘Why did you 
throw that bomb without waiting for the orders 
you must have known were coming?” 

‘‘Well, sir, I hardly know. But it came over . 
me all at once that there was the sub, and here 
was I, reachin’ for the bomb that lay in arm’s 
length. It looked just then as if that sub was 
waitin’ for something, sir. I felt that if I waited, 
the cussed thing would get away. So I grabbed 
it and let ’er go. I ’m sorry if I done wrong. But 
I sensed, somehow, that then and there was the 
time and — ” Snoddy hesitated. 


SNODDY DROPS A DEPTH BOMB 121 

‘^And there were you, ready and willing in- 
terrupted the commander, still smiling. ‘‘Well, 
it happened you were right. If you had not been 
right, and you had missed, you would be in the 
wrong because you failed to wait for orders. In 
this case the result annuls the wrong. I con- 
gratulate you ! Are you not the Kansas lad who 
was so anxious to get into Uncle Sam^s service, he 
wouldn^t wait until he was sent for, but came to 
the training camp at his own expense? Yes? I 
thought so!^^ Then noting Snodgrass^ stare of 
astonishment, he smiled again. “You see, my lad, 
we get to know things in the navy : we have to be 
that way. Your course then and your action now 
evinces to me that you have a mind of your own : 
that, on occasion, you can do things, without wait- 
ing for the red-tape of other folks’ opinions. It 
is a good way to be. But don’t let it foster in you 
a habit of infringing upon discipline. In ninety- 
nine cases it brings trouble' or punishment. In 
the hundredth case— yours, we may say— it is 
justified merely by results. Otf with you both—” 


122 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


“Beg pardon, sir, protested Snoddy, “but how 
did you ever happen to hear of my goin ^ from my 
Kansas home town to the Great Lal^es Station the 
way I did? 

“Ob, I know Captain Moffet. He mentioned 
the matter to me in oiie of the letters we occasion- 
ally exchange/^ And the commander walked oft 
at a call back from the bridge. 

The submarine being thus disposed of, the Perry 
sped on after the raider unembarrassed by foes in 
^the rear. After the final shot which so nearly 
downed the forward lookout top, that erratic ves- 
sel seemed to have eliminated herself from the 
scene. According to the course at first laid out 
by the bridge experts as the most probable one 
for the raider to follow, it was probable that she 
was somewhere to the east-southeast, very likely 
seeking safety in increased distance, especially if 
her sides were unarmored. Still there was no ab- 
solute certainty as to this. 

About this time the wireless caught another 
radio. Two Limie (slang for British) destroyers 


SNODDY DROPS A DEPTH BOMB 

were approaching, having caught from a distance 
the radios sent out by the Arabia. Upon learn- 
ing from the Perry that the Arabia was safe, giv- 
ing her probable course, and that the Perry was 
now in search of the raider, one of these Allied 
vessels announced that she would help the Perry 
in her search, while the other was to follow the 
Arabia, until that freighter was somewhere safe 
with a convoy, then not so many miles northeast- 
ward, and making towards the Irish coast and the 
mouth of the Channel. 

Hearty congratulations were also sent by these 
destroyers to the Perry upon the result of her 
maiden effort in sinking the submarine. Accord- 
ingly, after the departure of one in pursuit of and 
safeguarding the Arabia, the other joined in with 
the Perry, both taking a wide sweep at varying 
speed in their hunt for the now missing raider. 

With the ship divided into four hour watches, 
each relieving the other automatically as the 
hours rolled by, the rest of the night passed. 
Daylight came, for a wonder with a clearing sky, 


122 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

an easy swell only rumpling the listless ocean. 

Where were they? As from the log-reckoning 
kept since the last clear observation, taken the 
morning before, it was, apparent that by nq^^they 
must be somewhere off southwest of the English 
Channel, probably two hundred miles or more. 
The Bay of Biscay lay eastward within a varying 
length. 

All that morning they cruised in wide sweeps to 
and fro without any result. Their present con- 
sort, the British destroyer, now and then ex- 
changed radios with them, but the raider seemed 
to have melted into the thin air which, beyond the 
horizon, bounds further understanding within its 
curtain of indifferent oblivion. Moiling watches 
came, hurried breakfasts were eaten here, there, 
wherever they were to be had. Down in the ward- 
room the decoding of radios proceeded by what- 
ever watch happened to be on. Little of it was 
pertinent to those aboard at present, yet all must 
be kept track of lest something important should 
occur. Finally one came that appeared to be 


SNODDY DROPS A DEPTH BOMB 125 

vital. It was a stray radio, sent by the enemy to 
some supposed confederate, and it gave some 
trouble to the decoding force. Finally it resolved 
itself into an announcement that ran something 
like this : 

‘‘No ’-no ’east Azores. We are all right — short 
oil — got any ? ’ ’ 

That wasn’t much, surely. Probably some U- 
boat, short of fuel, trying to communicate with — 
what? All at once it came to^one of our Jackies 
who, passing through the wardroom, overheard. 
Said this Jack^T- : 

“I bet it’s some sub wantin’ to get at that 
raider! Why wouldn’t the old Boche have fuel 
oil, petrol or whatever it is runs their blamed en- 
gines?” 

“Here — you!” Brewster, who happened in 
just then, called across the chart-strewn table, 
stuck here and there by pins, indicating the “beat ’ ’ 
of certain lettered squares, each marking the 
range of other ships in the war zone squadron; 
in fact, of all except the whereabouts of those 


126 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


under-sea boats whose positions all ached to flush. 

The Jacky saluted deferentially, and Brewster 
saw that it was Solly, the chap who had nearly 
knocked Sprouse overboard when parryjjig the 
latter’s sudden assault the evening before. 

‘‘What d’ye mean by such talk as that?” de- 
manded the chief gunner. 

“Didn’t mean much except that if a U-boat 
needed oil, it would be most natural to hunt out 
that raider by radio. Raiders may not be much 
good to fight, but they kin carry a good cargo, and 
ain’t they always liftin’ out sarviceable things 
from the ships they take afore they burn ’em? ” 
“The boy is right, men,” said one of the de- 
coding staff, who happened to be the ship’s sur- 
geon. “Trot along, my boy! We’ll keep sharp 
lookouts for any replies that seem to fit the case. ” 
Scarcely had Solly vanished when another en- 
emy radio was crudely deciphered. “ Oil a plenty. 
Make s-s-w- half west. We’ll meet you at Lat- -, 

Lon . Hang round — soft and shady — ” 

There was a trifle more but seemingly of small 


SNODDY DROPS A DEPTH BOMB 127 

importance. Holworth, who was just in oil the 
bridge, took down the directions, then struck up 
the companionway, saying: ‘‘WeTl put this up 
to J ohnny Bull as well. Then we T1 strike fast for 
that mysterious rendezvous.’’ 

A little later Brewster, making his watch 
rounds, came upon Solly amid the aft gun watch, 
and took him a step to one side. 

^‘Kid,” said the chief gunner, ‘‘you do have a 
mite of sense in that cocoanut of your’n! They 
followed up that stray suggestion of yours, and 
they got what they took to be a reply. See how 
we’re speeding up!” 

“That’s bully, sir! If folks would only use 
their head-pieces more, mebhe we’d do some better 
thinkin’. I must keep mum ’bout this — eh, sir?” 

“Right you are; but don’t let that same head 
of yours swell in consequence. I used to hear ’em 
say the fresh-water bugs out west had no na\y 
sense. But my own opinion don’t gee with that 
at all. Why, I’m from Missouri myself! I al- 
"ways wanted to know or be shown.” Brewster 


128 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


grinned, slapped Solly on the back, and vanished. 

It was but a short time before both destroyers, 
advised of this new development, were roaring 
away towards the points indicated, and took 
them the bigger part of the day to gain the vi- 
cinity thereof. 

Meantime a radio sent out by the commander 
of a certain convoy stated that the Arabia had 
joined them, being only slightly disabled by the 
experiences she had undergone. Also it thanked 
the Perry for sinking the sub. These now innocu- 
OU.S notes were posted upon the dispaTch board 
amidships, where all hands might read and know 
that which it .was advisable to know concerning 
things — after they had happened. 

Cloudy and cold again. Icy seas washing the 
decks, lookouts shivering up in the tops on short 
watches. Sprouse and Mohr had been released 
for the time being on account of the extreme cold 
inside the strong room. 

‘'Mind, you two!’’ said Eains who let them out. 
“You’re still under arrest. You’re under heavy 


SNODDY DROPS A DEPTH BOMB 129 

suspicions, especially for that wireless mishap. 
Mind your p’s and q’s, or hit’ll be wuss for ye 
than ever.” 

Both Holworth and Brewster disapproved this, 
but Captain Bevens thought otherwise. These 
boys, though misled, were JacHes. Surely they 
would see their errors and avoid the disgrace of 
trial. 

For two hours the Perry cruised leisurely in 
shifting circles, keeping up occasional communi- 
cation with the Limie destroyer, sufficient to let 
the other know where and how she was doing. 


CHAPTER Yin 


MORE SLICKER WORK 

Three bells in the middle night watch. The ' 
scene, dense, foggy, with a sullen sea on, found the 
foretop watch anxiously waiting their turn to be 
relieved. Steps sounded on the decks below. The 
ship was quiet for the time being. 

Trumbull and Truesby, numb to the bone, 
waited. Up came the relief. Shifting the lan- 
tern, its flash upward disclosed the faces of 
Sprouse and Mohr peering over the canvas screen. 

^‘YHiat you chaps doing hereU^ demanded 
Trumbull at once. ‘‘Where’s the gunner’s mate? 
We want to see Mr. Rains.” 

“Guess you won’t see him right now,” re- 
marked Mohr, leisurely beginning to hoist himself > 
over. “Captain Bevens sent us up here. Come, 
get a move on so we can find room.” 


130 


MORE SLICKER’S WORK 


131 


Trumbull, temporarily in charge of the foretop 
watch until Blettinger should return from a tran- 
sient absence below, shook his head. Telly too 
showed the same objectionable manner, also shak- 
ing his head. 

‘‘You chaps are too well known,’’ remarked 
Telly. “I’d see you both in hades before we let 
you in here on your own say so. ’ ’ 

“ Go on below and remain until either Mr. Rains 
or Blettinger come. I mean — ” 

“Hullo, up there!” came Blettinger ’s voice 
from below. “Why don’t you come down? I 
saw the relief go by — ” 

“We’re up here,” sang out Mohr. “They 
won’t let us in.” 

“Oh, come on down. Washy!” called Blet. 
“Let ’em go! I ain’t stuck on them two dopes, 
but the captain hisself said to let ’em try once 
more.” 

Such being the case, Trumbull gave way, de- 
scending, with Telly following, though both 
grumbled. Mohr sneered in their ears: “Ain’t 


132 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

you the swell coves? I told you the cap gave us 
his orders!’’ 

At the foot of the ratlines Trumbull began, 
sotto voce, his complaint. 

suppose whatever the high-ups do or say, 
we ought to submit. But I cannot stand it *(?o see 
two such chaps, just furloughed from the guard- 
room by the captain, put back into the most im- 
portant watch. What does it mean, Blet? Why, 
dammit! — If they ain’t traitors, what are they? 
Didn’t that Mohr try to smash the wireless? 
Didn’t Sprouse back him, uphold him? It makes 
me sick! Why, cold as it is, I’d sit up there an- 
other watch — ” 

‘‘Oh, easy, lad!” Blettinger spoke wearily. 
“Our cap is a good man. But he likes to ride 
whatever hobby-horse happens to come handy. ’ ’ 

“What did he do? He knows them chaps be 
guilty, but he sees the makin’s of good Jackies in 
’em. He knows we’re shorthanded as ’tis. He 
gives ’em a talk. Result — they git put back on 
watch. And here we be ; right in here somewhere 


MORE SLICKER’S WORK 


133 


is that raider, or most likely a sub. We’re bound 
to help the Limies to ketch ’em if we can. 

^^But you can’t go back on orders. The only 
thing to do now is to keep clus watch. Soon as 
Lieutenant Holworth comes out, I’m goin’ to git 
put in that watch, or get hit replaced — or bust. 
You watch jne.” 

''My goodness, Blet!” This from Trumbull. 
"You’ve just come oif one watch. So’ve I. 
"vYe’re half froze and tired. We need to be go- 
ing below. ’ ’ 

"Not ’til we gits thoo long of them chaps up 
there. Come on!” 

He led the way to the bridge stairs, where it so 
happened that they met not only Holworth but 
Captain Bevens himself entering the wireless 
room, or rather they stood at the door, for the 
space was too small for more than one aside from 
the wireless man, the same who had been on duty 
that night when the mischief to the apparatus oc- 
curred. 

Blettinger saluted at once. Instead of speak- 


134 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 
iiig to Holworth, he began upon the captain, say- 
ing: 

‘‘Beg pardon, cap, but them same two chaps as 
was in such mischief here with our wireless that 
night has just gone into the foretop, relieving us 
and saying as you sent ’em. Might we ask*if that 
is so?” 

Holworth, who had been listening, fidgeted with 
his cigarette and otherwise showed impatience. 
Bevens, at first smiling tolerantly as Blet began, 
suddenly suffered a change of aspect. Hardly 
permitting Blet to finish, the captain broke into 
impatient invective. Whirling upon his second 
officer, he exclaimed : 

“They misinterpreted my orders, Holworth! 
I simply told them, after releasing them, to report 
for duty to Rains. If any one sent them to the 
lookout on the strength of that, he is to blame. 
We are very shorthanded, and if any of these stout 
fellows just here from the training camps can 
be made to do, I favored still further breaking 
them in. In view of what they did, however, I 


MORE SLICKER’S WORK 


135 


certainly did not favor sending them into the tops, 
or any^vhere else wherein they might be tempted 
to do things again.’’ 

Holworth, too well-bred to argue with his su- 
perior, merely nodded. Just then Rains came by 
on his own rounds. Holworth beckoned him to 
them. 

Rains,” said Bevens sharply, ‘‘how came you 
to send those two lads I returned to you on pro- 
bation to-day to the foretop watch? I under- 
stand they are up there now.” 

At this last Rains showed the utmost astonish- 
ment. He snapped his fingers, swore under his 
breath, then started oft forward, telling Blet and 
the two Jackies to follow, which they at once did. 
Bevens looked after them with an aspect of vague 
discomfiture. Holworth smiled slyly to his cigar- 
ette. Not for the world would he have smiled 
^ openly at his chief. 

“It is at that foretop watch that most of the 
night signaling is done, is it not?” he queried 
mildly enough. 


f 

,l 


136 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


^‘Yes, but none is required just now/’ 

Would it not be possible to signal more or less 
furtively, all the same? The mere exhibition of 
a light might have the same effect, would it not?” 
Holworth again smiled at his cigarette. 

‘‘Probably: but you must take into con^era- 
tion that I never authorized those boys going on 
watch. I merely put them under Pains’ charge, 
who knew as well as any of us just what they 
were under arrest for.” 

“Here comes Rains, sir. Who is that with 
him?” 

With Rains was the Chief Gunner Brewster. 
Driving them before him, the latter hustled Mohr 
and Sprouse, looking rather shamefaced, yet 
dumbly stubborn, as they came. Behind them 
were several Jackies off watch, who happened to 
be on deck. Blettinger, Trumbull or Truesby 
were not visible. 

Said Rains, saluting : 

‘ ‘ What ye think we found up there, sir ? ” This 
to the captain. “I slips up the ratlines first, and 


MORE SLICKER’S WORK 


137 


them two,’^ pointing at the culprits, ^‘was turnin’ 
the red and green shades backwards and forrards 
about the signal lamp, holdin’ the same up to 
one of them slits in the canvas screen. What 
they were doin’ hit for, I don’t know. No good, 
I reckon! Then I tops the screen and I orders 
’em down. On deck we found the chief gunner. 
I turns ’em over to him.” 

‘‘Who told you to take the forward midnight 
watch!” demanded Sevens sternly of Mohr. “I 
simply told you two to report to Rains for 
duty.” 

“Which he never done at all,” asserted Billy. 
‘ ‘ But they hikes up there, and lies theyselves into 
it by puttin’ the Jackies already there oif their 
guard. Ef that ain’t — ” 

“There, there, Mr. Rains!” said the captain 
soothingly. “We don’t air these matters off- 
hand before anybody. ’ ’ He gave a regretful sigh. 
“Take those boys back to the guardroom.” 

Here Sprouse and Mohr seemed about to speak, 
but Bevens waved them aside. 


138 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


‘‘I can put up with errors on the part of fresh- 
water lads like you. But twice you have know- 
ingly falsified facts. Off you go 

So down below they went, and were again locked 
up. Two trustworthy Jackies were sent to re- 
place those who had been installed by Bletting^r, 
while the last prowled about the forward deck, 
only to find by his lantern’s light that an im- 
portant part of the bow-gun’s firing mechanism 
was missing. 

A small thing, to be sure, yet not so small but 
that when Rains and Blet entered the guardroom 
five minutes later and held up both lads at the 
point of Rains’ pistol, they found Mohr trying to 
drop the missing part through a slightly open 
port, only to have it wedge therein. Mohr’s ef- 
fort to extract it caused him to be caught. When 
Commander Bevens heard of this, he wouldn’t 
swear, for he was not of a swearing nature. But 
he solemnly promised himself to make no more 
attempts to morally uplift the Jackies, except said 
Jackies gave irrefutable evidence that they were 


MORE SLICKER’S WORK 


139 


worth the trouble. Furthermore, at roll-call in 
the morning, he' publicly acknowledged to his offi- 
cers from Holworth down that he was mistaken. 

^ ^ However, we will fight all the harder — at least 
I will, when the time comes. Faith is a great 
thing, men. God knows I don’t want any of you 
to lose your faith in your commander.” 

Of course there was gossip, but in the middle of 
it the now dense fog lifted ; then, right under their 
noses, as it were, bobbed up two vessels. One was 
the raider, easily recognizable by those who had 
sighted her before, let alone her present occupa- 
tion, which was that of hoisting sundry barrels, 
supposedly filled with fuel oil, over her star- 
board rail into an invisible something alongside. 
What else could it be but that submarine which 
had wirelessed a few hours before for oil? 

Not only were the Perry^s lookouts taken by 
surprise, but those of the foe as well. Scarce 
twelve hundred yards separated them. A sudden 
breeze had swept away the fog, which had con- 
cealed the two Boche vessels until the wind all at 


140 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

once swept aside the fog curtain, not unlike the 
uprolling of a screen. 

Well it was that the foretop watch was on the 
alert. The engines had been going at easy speed, 
almost noiselessly, up to the moment of reveal- 
ment. Three seconds later a somnolent grolfp — 
Trumbull, Solly, Telly, and another, jumped up 
when Rains kicked at them as they lay blanketed, 
yet doubly watchful. The missing piece of 
mechanism was replaced, and all was in readiness 
— for what ? 

They did not know, but they were ready. Ra- 
dios during the rest of the watch indicated to the 
officers that the enemy was near, yet perplexed. 
Perplexed, perhaps, by the cessation of that sys- 
tem of lantern signaling. At any rate, while 
all was ready and every one on the alert, great was 
the surprise when fate thus disclosed to them the 
objects they were after. 

In no time the crew and officers were at quarters. 
But, while they were thus quietly assembling. 
Rains fumed at waiting for orders. Already 


MORE SLICKER’S WORK 141 

there were signs of commotion on board the raider 
which, swinging with the tidal flow, was slowly 
turning, bow on, towards them. The big gun on 
the raider’s forecastle now looked menacing. ^ 
‘^Load ’er up, boys,” ordered Rains. ^^Have 
ours ready. If orders don ’t come, we ’ll fire any- 
way. Gee, what a mark!” meaning the elon- 
gated raking target now fronting at them as the 
raider slowly swung round. Spouts of smoke 
darted from her funnels but so far no visible sign 
of the sub appeared. She’s shieldin’ the U-boat 
to give her a chance to submerge — ” 

The Perry was swinging broadside. 

Billy could stand the delay no longer. 

^ ^ Lemme sight her I ” he called. ^ ^ Damn if I ’m 
goin’ ter wait longer! Hit’s a sin — hey there — 
w^ait for me ! ’ ’ 

The long three-inch piece, already carefully 
loaded, was being sighted by two of the Jackies, 
one of whom. Telly, had imbibed considerable ex- 
perience in the target line during his stay at the 
Lake Station. 


U2 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

going to fire, Washy, he remarked sotto 
voce. ‘ ‘ We T1 never get such another chance — two 
of them in line — whoop ! ’ ’ 

T7hat Telly meant was that whatever was on 
the opposite side of the raider must he in line for 
single shots from the Perrys from just whey^ she 
was now, considering the shifting positions of the 
Boche ships. 

Solly, also seeing the opportunity, and always 
ready to take a chance, danced anxiously around 
Telly as he squatted behind the breech, elevating, 
shifting, depressing the delicate apparatus that 
governed the gun’s adjustment. 

Meanwhile Rains, from the opposite side of the 
deck, whence he had gone for a clearer view, was 
trying his best to gain the breech. All this in a' 
very brief space. Suddenly Telly and Solly saw 
the veering raider shifting to an angle that dis- 
closed three German sailors adjusting the sights 
of that menacing bow gun. This added the 
last ounce of resolution to Telly’s prior hesi- 
tation. He knew they ought to fire at once, 


MORE SLICKER’S WORK 143 

but was hesitant as to how long to wait on 
Billy. 

^^Let ^er gol^’ muttered Solly, ‘^Let ’er go!’^ 

With a final squint along the adjuster, Telly 
stepped back and pulled the cord. Almost imme- 
diately another report rang out from a distance. 
Almost immediately a six-pound shell tore its way 
through the wind-shield on the bridge, scattering 
a hail of shrapnel around, wounding the man at 
the wheel and doing some damage to the bridge 
itself, though nothing serious. 

What of the gun just discharged below? Solly 
had clapped on a one-second fuse when shoving 
it in the breech, and with its impact against tlie 
high hull of the raider there came a tremendous 
explosion, followed by a flaming rush of lighted 
oil or gasoline along the raider ^s decks. 

^‘By gad!’’ shouted Eains, greatly excited. 
^ ‘ Hit the sub, did we ? ” 

^‘Busted a barrel of whatever they was h’istin’ 
over. There goes our other gun aft. She’ll be 
a pretty fight, eh?” 


144 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


For a few minutes — once started — there was an 
astonishingly brisk interchange of shots between 
the Perry and the raider. Amid the excitement 
the supposed presence of the U-boat seemed to be 
unnoticed. At the third shot, the first one by 
Rains, the bow gun of the raider was dismoury,ed, 
the crew either killed, wounded, or taking refuge 
in flight. 

Meantime the Perry had been steaming forward 
at an increased pace, now that all was made known. 
The raider seemed to be on fire. A broad smear 
on the water denoting oil first excited several of 
the Jackies. 

* ‘ The sub is sunk, hain T that so T ^ 

Both Bevens and Holworth did not think it pos- 
sible. They shook their heads. 

‘^We donT even know there is a sub near her,’^ 
remarked Brewster. 

Listening, yet holding his own opinions, Snoddy 
slipped back to where the depth bombs were han- 
dily stored. Watching the smeary oil streak, he 
stealthily poised a bomb. 


CHAPTER IX 


UNCLE SAM’s men WIN OVER ODDS 

To Snoddy’s notion that smear of oil on the 
sea was more than likely to he caused by its upset- 
ting from the raider’s starboard rail, probably 
when the submarine began to submerge. 

The Perry, sheering to the right in order to 
bring up nearer the now crippled ship, necessarily 
brought her stern more in line with the position 
of the now vanished U-boat. Only an eddy of 
w^ater streaked with oil was visible as the raider 
drifted to leeward, while the crew was supposed 
to be fighting fire. Still holding his bomb, Solly 
rapidly hurried towards the stern, then suddenly 
flung it many yards right into the puddling, oily 
swell. It was timed for a ten-second wait. The 
boy himself counted off the number, then — another 
explosion ; one that came upward out of the depths. 
A column of greasy water splashed over the after 


145 


146 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

deck, drenching Solly himself. But, while wiping 
his eyes, he beheld the submarine rising right in 
their rear, and within a dozen yards of the Perry 
stern. 

‘ ^ So — I didn ’t get it after all ! ’ ’ 

Instantly he jumped back to his gun, now being 
trained upon the enemy that, opening his swift 
moving, clock-work hatch, was shooting up a six- 
inch gun already loaded, primed, ready, and with 
two men swiftly adjusting the training apparatus. 

Just as Snoddy reached the gun-breech, his 
quick squint gathered in that their own must be 
already trained right. At any rate there was no 
time to better things. The two Jackies making 
ready were too slow. With a sudden leap he 
seized a short hold on the cord held by one, gave 
a sharp jerk, and was almost thrown down by the 
tremendous shock and recoil. 

Others at the rail saw the gun on the sub 
knocked over, its parts shattered by the Perry^s 
discharge, while the two men were violently swept 
overboard, whether dead or alive it was uncertain. 


UNCLE SAM’S MEN WIN OVER ODDS 147 


Simultaneously the U-boat tried to reclose the 
hatch ; but something hindered. Then a big wave 
rolled over the sloping top of the sub, fairly fill- 
ing the hatchway, rolling on and down in tremen- 
dous volume. Almost with the same momentum a 
hatch amidships flew open under the conning 
tower, and panic-stricken men began to boil out, 
swarm out, crowd out, in a confused mixture of 
frightened humanity at once reassuring and pa- 
thetic to the onlookers on the destroyer’s after 
deck. 

Meantime, up forward the bow gun and those in 
the waist had been plumping explosive shells into 
the now burning raider, whose crew were taking 
to such of her boats as could be manned and low- 
ered in sufficient haste. 

As soon as the submarine’s crew were all on 
the deck, now almost upon a level with the water, 
the hatches, heretofore stubborn, suddenly closed, 
shutting offi the water although the U-boat must 
have been a third full. 

Back came Hoi worth, followed by the chief gun- 


148 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


ne'r. Seeing that a couple of dozen or more men 
were collected along the narrow submarine deck, 
Holworth kept shouting to his own men ; 

‘^Keep that aft gun trained on them! You 
never know what they’ll do. Who fired that gun 
what fixed her — eh T ’ 

No one replied. All hands, including Snoddy, 
were busily reloading and pointing the gun. 

Brewster stamped his big foot. 

^‘Who heaved that bomb over!” he called. 
^^Are ye all dumb?” 

Meanwhile the men on the U-boat were holding 
up their hands, and calling, after the German 
fashion : 

‘^Kamarad! Kamarad! Kamarad!” with 
other cries indicating surrender. 

Just at this juncture Trumbull, then well aft, 
saw one who looked like an officer, even in his 
soiled dungarees, reach forth and attempt to man- 
ipulate a part of the internal machinery by twist- 
ing at a round handled lever projecting from the 
deck below. Instantly to Washy’s mind came a 


UNCLE SAM’S MEN WIN OYER ODDS 149 


memory of certain instructions given by a sub- 
marine instructor at the Great Lakes Training 
Station, and on board a dummy under-sea boat, 
fully accoutered for the purpose of sub-sea instruc- 
tion. The instructor had twisted a certain lever 
and instantly the submersible began to sink. In 
the shallow lagoon where the instructions were 
given, he recalled now that the instructor ex- 
plained that this thing was done so that the water 
valves below would open and the submarine im- 
mediately sink. 

Here they were, on the verge of capturing a real 
enemy submarine. The crew would be rescued, 
of course, but while waiting for this, and trusting 
to the enemy to still save lives, this man v/as try- 
ing to destroy their boat, and thus deprive the Al- 
lies of a valuable capture, and at the same time 
saddling them with the care and feeding of many 
Boche prisoners. 

While all this came to him in a flash, as it were, 
Trumbull jerked forth his automatic, leveled it 
at the man^s head, and shouted: 


150 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


‘ ^ Stop that — you ! Stop — or I T1 tire ! ^ ^ 

So loud, clear and penetrating was his cry amid 
all that confusion of sounds that the man hesi- 
tated. Hesitation was not enough. The man’s 
hand was still on the manipulator. ^ 

^^Halt!” cried Trumbull and, taking swift aim, 
tired at the man’s arm. Like many western lads 
Washy was a good pistol shot. The arm dropped 
helpless. Intuitively the man put forth the other 
hand, intent to complete his work. 

But Holworth saw what was being done. Brew- 
ster, who had formerly been in the United States 
Submarine Service, instantly sensing what was up, 
seized a Jacky’s rifle from the slings under the 
rail, whirled it up and fired. The man stiffened 
back and fell, sliding as he crumpled into the 
lapping waves at his feet. The men renewed their 
shoutings for help, while the U-boat began to 
settle. 

By this time the stern of the Perry almost over- 
hung the U-boat, and it was but a leap for Trum- 
bull to spring over the rail onto the submarine’s 


UNCLE SAM’S MEN WIN OVER ODDS 151 


forward hatch and push his way through the ter- 
ror-stricken men strung along the U-boat’s deck 
to where protruded the lever in question. Washy 
tried but failed to reach it, for tha man himself 
had been unusually tall. 

^‘Kamarad, kamarad!” said some one. A Ger- 
man sailor seized him round the, waist and lifted 
him up. Instantly Trumbull apprehended, though 
at first he thought the fellow was trying to heave 
him overboard. More German words followed, 
but Washy was busily trying to recollect just what 
the instructor had said. All at once it came to 
him. With a pull outward, a screw of the lever, 
then a hard push inward, and the mechanism be- 
low snapped back with a jar he himself felt. 

‘‘Boollee!” The sailor dropped him to the 
deck, and then embraced Washy fervently, ex- 
claiming, in eager gutturals: 

‘‘Wie-gehts! Who — meef I Amerikaner — me-e 
too.” 

He grasped Trumbull’s hand and wrung it 
heartily. Then he whispered: 


152 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


^^Amerikaner save us — 

Trumbull jerked awaj^ from him, but was con- 
fusedly pleased notwithstanding. Meanwhile oth- 
ers on board the destroyer viewed all this perplex- 
edly, until Brewster at the stern now called :^rth : 

see, kid! Bully for you! You save that 
sub! Very likely save these chaps too. Speed 
^em up, son. Get ’em over here! We got other 
work to do yet.” 

By dextrous steering and engine manipulation, 
the string of prisoners was hoisted, or hoisted 
themselves over the rail, except for a squad re- 
maining by Trumbull, who took ropes and secured 
the half sunken U-Boat to the Perry stern at a 
convenient distance. Then Washy came aboard, 
followed by the sailor who had assisted him in 
checking the inflow of the submarine valves as we 
have described. The man, a squatty, pock- 
marked, yet open-faced fellow, proved to be most 
docile, and whenever permitted attached himself 
t© the Indiana lad in season and out of season. 


UNCLE SAM’S MEN WIN OVER ODDS 153 

Indeed his docility and dextrous willingness to 
do things soon permitted him to enjoy consider- 
able liberty, for the Perry was soon crowded by 
prisoners not only from the U-boat, but from the 
raider as well. 

Being on fire, and also leaking badly from the 
effect of the destroyer’s guns, the raider was soon 
left to burn, though first the remaining crew and 
officers, together with the crew and passengers of 
a steamer sunk two days before, were transferred, 
as well as their belongings and certain parts of the 
stores. 

As may be imagined, by this time the limited 
accommodations on the destroyer were overtaxed 
to a dangerous degree. The submarine and raider 
crews were confined in the forehold and put on ra- 
tions, giving them limited exercise on the fore- 
decks at certain hours. The officers, passengers 
and crew of the captured ship were given the same 
food, and practically similar accommodations as 
those of the Perry. But the overcrowding, the 


154 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

general unprepareclness of our ship to care sud- 
denly for so many, made the daily routine not very 
pleasing. 

Meanwhile, before quitting that neighborhood, 
what was to be done about the captured submar- 
ine! Fortunately the day after the fight the Brit- 
ish destroyer hove in sight, preceded by radios 
stating that firing had been heard and she was 
coming full speed. It was a grateful sight to 
Captain Bevens and his aides when her low, long 
gray hull appeared through the perennial fog that 
usually reigned in that latitude. Other wireless 
news had been conveyed to the admiral command- 
ing the squadron to which our convoy had been 
attached. Congratulations were exchanged. 
With the help of the Englishmen the half-filled 
U-boat was pumped out, and by impressing the 
more trustworthy of the crew, united with cer- 
tain British sailors from the destroyer, the latter 
at length started for the nearest base, accompanied 
by the submarine and the rest of the submarine ’s 
officers and crew as prisoners. Even the com- 


UNCLE SAM’S MEN WIN OVER ODDS 155 


maiider, who had been shot down by Trumbull and 
Brewster, was nursed back to safety by the time 
the destroyers separated. 

He was a spirited young Prussian who did not 
regret his act, but only that he was unable to ac- 
complish what he had desired to do : that is, sink 
his ship, and thereby deprive his country’s foes of 
another German U-boat, to further aid his coun- 
try’s final destruction. 

Young man,” he had said to Trumbull, just 
before being helped over the side into a boat of 
the British destroyer, ^^you did me far worse harm 
when you broke my right arm and jumped on the 
deck of my then sinking ship, than if you had let 
me go down with her. My crew would have been 
picked up.” 

''Bear in mind this, sir,” rejoined Washy, not 
at all nonplussed, "I was doing for my country 
just what you were mistakenly trying to -do for 
yours. Understand?” 

The submarine commander looked perplexed as 
he regarded Trumbull. 


156 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


^‘Wliat do you meanr^ he asked. All this in 
good English on both sides. 

^‘Nothing much. Only trying to serve her. 
That is all, sir. But it's a big thing when you 
come to think it all out." 

The man blinked. Washy and two others were 
assisting him. At last he held out his hand. 
Brewster, who had finally shot the man down, 
merely grinned as he, too, lent a hand in making 
the descent over the side easier for the crippled, 
defeated young chap. 

‘ A^ou talk good American, " interposed the chief 
gunner. ^‘S'pose you try and do some square 
thinkin' yourself. You'll have plenty of time. 
You've got the makin's of a good Amerikaner in 
you if you only knew it — eh I" 

But the other looked disgusted. He pointed at 
the squatty sailor who had somehow managed to 
get permission to remain on the Perry. He 
grunted scornfully, and turned his face away, mut- 
tering as if to himself : 


UNCLE SAM’S MEN WIN OVER ODDS 157 


‘‘Schwein, schweinl Scliwein breed among 
scbwein ! ’ ^ 

The Limie sailors on the boat jostled him 
roughly as they cast off with their boatload, say- 
ing: ’E’s a damn fool!^’ but not so that the 

poor chap could hear. 

During these two days of getting ready and 
finally separating, the weather turned colder, and 
the round of ship life was anything but pleasant. 
Plentiful wireless messages in code had been ex- 
changed, at the conclusion of which the Perry was 
ordered to rejoin the squadron, there to transfer 
the rest of her prisoners, and then proceed with 
dispatches to the nearest base, and refit; that is, 
take on supplies, give the crew three days off, then 
resume the job of deep-sea scouting which is, after 
all, the main fact of a modern destroyer’s exist- 
ence in these infested war zone waters. 

Putting on an eighteen knot speed, the squadron 
was regained on the second day, when the pris- 
oners were transferred to the Arabia, which had 


158 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


closely stuck with the merchant convoy after 
gaining it at last. Three hours later the Perry, 
now bearing important dispatches from the ad- 
miral to American headquarters in London, turned 
to the north and was soon steaming away for that 
base in the south of England where the three 
days ^ leave were to be given. 

When well out of sight of aU other vessels there 
came creeping up out of the middle hold, from 
somewhere among the stores below, the squatty 
form which all had carelessly supposed to be with 
the other U-boat prisoners on the British de- 
stroyer, timing his appearance at a moment when 
Trumbull happened to be passing along a dark- 
ened passage below. At sight of the man who 
claimed to be also an ‘ ^ Amerikaner, ’ ’ and who^ 
was about the last one he expected to see soon 
again. Washy looked amazed; then his face dark- 
ened. 

‘^What you doing here — ehU^ he demanded, 
placing himself in the other ’s path. ‘ ‘ Why didn T 
you go with the others I ^ ^ 


UNCLE SAM’S MEN WIN OVER ODDS 159 


‘‘Me — I Amerikaner. No wantee go back 
Deutschland. Me want to go home. ’ ’ 

“You cannot go home by remaining here. Man, 
where is your home?’’ 

“Me? Alleginny.” Then seeing Trumbull’s 
hesitation, “Clus Peetsburgh.” 

“What about Pittsburgh?” exclaimed Solly, 
who happened just then to be hunting Trumbull 
himself. “Say, Washy — hullo!” He caught a 
full view of the submarine sailor, recognizing him 
at once. 

“I leef clus Peetsburgh once. Alleginny — know 
heem?” 

“Solly,” interposed Trumbull, “this is the fel- 
low that lifted me up so I could turn otf the wa- 
ter then pouring into that sub. Sure thing I He 
also helped us in other ways. He claimed then to 
be American. Suppose we take him to Mr. 
Brewster or some one of the officers and let him 
tell his yarn. I kinder like the chap, somehov/.” 

<<Say — you!” Solly turned to the sailor. 
‘ ‘ Ever been on Smithfield Street ? ” 


160 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


The sailor smiled, nodded, and at once crudely 
described one or more of the big skyscrapers with 
which Solly was familiar. Solly slapped him on 
the shoulder, then, turning to Trumbull, said : 

‘‘He^s been there all right. Whether he’s tell- 
ing the truth about himself is another thing.” 

‘‘And yet if he was not really friendly, why 
should he of his own accord lift me up to r©ach 
that valve connection? You know the Boches 
draft all sorts of people who happen to be visiting 
home, or just are there, somehow. What’s your 
name ? ’ ’ He wheeled suddenly on the German. 

“Me? I Koehler, Yohn Koehler. Me — my 
name — ach ! ’ ’ 

“Only one thing to do, Koehler,” remarked 
Trumbull not unkindly. “You must go with us 
to one of the officers. We’ll back you up. It de- 
pends on them as to what is done with you. ’ ’ 

“You talkee — forme, for Yohn?” 

“I will back you up insofar as we have seen you 
and known of you. So will Solly. But why don’t 
you want to go with your own people?” 


UNCLE SAM’S MEN WIN OVER ODDS 161 


^ ‘ I — Amerikaner. I got paper — me — ya — yes. ’ ^ 
^‘Why didn’t you say so? Where is it?” 
Koehler indicated that it was sewed up in his 
cl9thing. At this juncture who should appear hut 
Commander Bevens himself. 


CHAPTEE X 


KESCUING THE BATAVIA 

The two Jackies saluted respectfully. Bevens, 
who was on one of his infrequent rounds of in- 
spection, eyed the German suspiciously. 

‘ ‘ Who is this man, and what are you two doing 
off your watch ? ’ ’ 

Briefly but respectfully Trumbull managed to 
relate the origin and continuance of his own brief 
intercourse, dv/elling more upon the way Koehler 
had volunteered assistance in enabling him to 
stop the further submerging of the captured 
U-boat. Also he, with Solly’s aid, related what 
the man had done later in showing his friendly 
feelings, and how they had come upon him in the 
way they did. Bevens was suspicious. He quer- 
ied Koehler sharply pro and con, then required the 
hold to be investigated. Here a barrel of fuel 


162 


RESCUING THE BATAVIA 


163 


oil tliat had sprung a leak was found to be tightly 
calked. 

‘‘Me — didt thot — ^ine!^’ Tapping himself, 
Koehler smiled respectfully yet unabashed in the 
face of the commander. “I hide here. See oil 
leak. Stop leak — look!^’ He showed where he 
had torn off a portion of his own clothing, using 
the same in strips to plug the leak. ‘ ‘ Petrol hard 
get. Alust save. Me, — I didt — me, I didt!^’ re- 
peating this over and over. 

There was no doubt but that the cloth of his gar- 
ment matched the cloth driven into the leak. ‘ ‘ Me 
— nuttin^ to do. Time plentee — 

“Why didnT you let it be known the barrel was 
leaking P ’ 

“Want — stay here. If know too soon I here, 
have to go mit Deutschlander. No want go mit 
Deutschlander. Want stay mit Amerikaner.’’ 

At length Bevens, with others who were listen- 
ing, by this time was convinced of the man’s pres- 
ent sincerity. The commander turned to Trum- 
bull, saying: 


164 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


^^You have, we learn, done brave and gallant 
service in taking the submarine. One of your re- 
wards is that I turn this prisoner over to you. 
Keep him in your mess. If Koehler is all right, I 
rely upon you to find it out. If he isiiT, I rely on 
you equally to find that out. Remember — per- 
haps the safety of this ship may hinge largely on 
you.^’ 

Then the commander walked oft. It was a cu- 
rious, perhaps risky way; but Commander Sevens 
had already proved that he was an unusual man, 
both in acknov/ledging his own mistake in regard 
to Mohr and Sprouse (now safely held as spies 
on board the admiraPs ship), but also in his pres- 
ent willingness to test his theories further in re- 
lation to this poor Gemian-American, who had 
risked much to show that he desired to be thought 
a good ^^Amerikaner.’’ 

Brewster and Rains shook their heads dubi- 
ously. But Lieutenant Holworth came out 
frankly in admiration of Bevens’ broad tolerance, 
yet owned to shrewd doubts as to whether it was 


RESCUING THE BATAVIA 


165 


exactly the right course for one to pursue in times 
like the present, especially in the Atlantic wa^* 
zone. 

After that nothing happened for a time except 
the relentless round of duties that wear hard upon 
the men on scout duty in that much infested re- 
gion of the Atlantic war zone. The same kind of 
weather kept up; much cold, more or less wind, 
mostly from the north, areas of fog, and rare oases 
of occasional sunshine. During these last the 
reckonings were made, logs rectified, and among 
the mass of the crew ensued varied and often 
astonishing prognostications concerning the 
weather. 

Yohn, as he now came to be called, hovered- 
about and near the Jackies, always within call, yet 
never interfering, or in any way making himself 
I too prominent. Wherever Trumbull was, there or 
near there would he be found. If there was any 
cleaning up to be done and, without pushing in 
ahead of any one else, Yohn could help at the job, 
there he would be found. 


166 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


Finally, on the following morning after leaving 
the squadron, there came a radio which was 
handed by the messenger to the officer of the watch 
that read : 

‘‘.We are being shelled by submarine.’’ Then 
the message gave latitude and longitude. The dis- 
tance was perhaps some eighty miles from the 
present position of the Perry. Scarcely had this 
been noised about when another radio was handed 
out from the flagship of the squadron and convoy 
they had left the day before. 

It was to the Perry and from the flag officer, who 
ordered them to proceed at full speed to where a 
submarine was shelling the Bat avia ^ cotton laden 
and bound for Southampton. The position indi- 
cated was off the chops of the Channel, about mid- 
way between the land on either side. A most 
dangerous region, thoroughly infested by U-boats, 
and long known as an area where many vessels had 
been sunk. 

To reach this the Perry must deflect from her 
course to the base, a round distance to the right or 


RESCUING THE BATAVIA 


167 


starboard. It would delay the crew from shore 
leave, but was a summons that could not under any 
circumstances be avoided. Not, however, that 
any one wanted to dodge so plain a duty as this. 

One of the first things the first-watch officer did 
was to shake up the second-watch officer, who hap- 
pened also to be chief engineer, passing him the 
word to increase the speed to twenty-five knots 
forthwith. The new course was laid, and almost 
immediately two more radios came in, the first 
being from the flag officer stating that he had 
wirelessed the Batavia that the Perry had been 
ordered to her assistance full speed. They must 
do their best, for cotton was now particularly val- 
uable and greatly needed. 

The second radio was direct from the tormented 
steamer stating that : 

'^Submarine — a big one — is shelling us, keeping 
just beyond range of our smaller calibered guns, 
and we are practically helpless.’^ 

Right on the heels of this the Perry wirelessed 
the Batavia that she was on the way, going now at 


168 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

twenty-seven knots, and soon would be at thirty. 

The Perry on her trial trips had gone up to 
thirty-two, but did not now confess to quite so 
much. 

However, as the emergency was urgent, the 
engineer was adjured to oil up anew and utilize 
every ounce of steam possible and that as soon as 
might be. 

It was not long before the whole ship thrilled 
and shook under the impulse of her engines, while 
the Jackies stood w^atchfully about the guns, eager 
for gossip, particularly as to the speed making, 
and eulogistic over any announced increase. First 
twenty-eight, then twenty-nine, finally thirty were 
passed along in the curious ways known among 
the deep-sea scouters. 

While the sea was in the main rather sluggish, 
no vrhite-caps breaking, once in a while a larger 
swell would roll heavily over the bows, burying 
them and even flooding the decks about the bow- 
gun, V7hile the two in the waist and the big one aft 
received a declining share of the occasional inflow. 


KESCUING THE BATAVIA 169 

All the guns had received slashings of vaseline to 
keep down the salt-water rust. Grease won’t hurt 
a gun, but now that action threatened, the crews 
were rubbing off the coating, so that they would 
not only look well but work smoothly, as a second 
fight was imminent. 

‘ ‘ Twenty-nine and picking up, ’ ’ was at first ra- 
dioed then, later, thirty, and at last thirty-one. 
By this time the Perry was quivering at such a 
rate that to keep one’s feet on the swaying decks 
was no easy job. Another radio came to the 
bridge, saying: Shell just below our water-line. 
Settling some yet still afloat, fighting and active. 
Our shots don’t reach her. Hurry up for God’s 
sake!” 

‘‘Some pluck in that fellow,” said Telly among 
the forward gun crew, to his mates. “Are we 
making any faster 

“Yes, thirty-one. I think the lad from below let 
that out on his way to the bridge. Some going, 
that ! ” As luck would have it, near him was Yohn 
Koehler holding to one of the iron rods supporting 


170 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

tlie forward wind-shield that partially gave shelter 
to the gnn crew while waiting. 

Thirty-one knots!’’ was at last passed round 
among the crew gossips. 

Bully for the old Oliver PerryP^ shouted 
Trumbull, who w^as having his skill tested to keep 
his feet. ‘‘His namesake is worthy of the old 
navy fighter — hey, Y ohn % ’ ’ 

Yohn grinned amiably, taking a new grip on 
his rod. He wasn’t called on to do anything, yet 
he was always ready with his hands when the 
men needed help in keeping to their tasks. Just 
now he was relieving Trumbull by holding one of 
the big metal cartridges, the nose of which touched 
the deck while the butt rested against his stomach, 
aided by one arm, as he swayed when the ship’s 
nose rose or fell tumultuously. 

Just then the foretop reported a smudge ahead 
to port that was undoubtedly the Batavia, Al- 
most immediately thereafter he reported the sub- 
marine also ahead, yet far to starboard. Neither 


RESCUING THE BATAVIA 


171 


could yet be seen from the bridge. Ten thousand 
yards was the range, with the bow gun trained di- 
rectly on the horizon. 

‘ ^ Train and fire, ’ ’ came the order from the Com- 
mander. ‘ ^ Feel out his range 1 ^ ’ 

B-o-o-m! The report stirred all hearts with 
expectation. The splash could not be seen, even 
from the foretop. Probably it went beyond, as 
the gun was a good one, thoroughly up-to-date. 
By this time the submarine could be seen and very 
ominous, huge, and inscrutable she looked, her 
elongated hull lying a third out of the waves, and 
with a gun pointed from each of two hatches, not 
at the Perry j but at the huge cotton steamer la- 
boring clumsily some nine miles otf the port bow. 
She had been coolly shelling the crippled ship, 
even while the Perry was running up. As the first 
gun boomed forth she let go another shell. 

Those on the Perry expected her to send a shot 
or two their way, but she merely let go another 
shell at the steamer. 


I 


172 OUE JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


‘‘Eeckon she^s trying to hit her antennae?’^ 
queried Solly, glancing at the wireless aerials. 
‘ ‘ That would about be her aim — now. ’ ’ 

About this time the destroyer shortened her 
range. The bow gun was trained for firing again, 
when a bigger sea than usual rolled up on the 
Perry^s bow. The ocean was smooth enough, but 
that unceasing swell was still on — a long swell of 
the kind that does not break and sputter, but walks 
right up and announces that it is here by arriving. 
It was this long still swell that rolled up over their 
bow. 

The Perry was doing at least thirty knots, and 
dived into it headfirst. It came right on over the 
bow, over the fo ’castle head, over the bow gun. 
The wind-shield to the gun was probably five feet 
above the fo ’castle deck. That wave rolled right 
over the gun shield. 

The squatty sailor Yohn, still standing quite 
close to the shield, grabbed anew the iron rod, 
managing to hook the fingers of one hand in a 
firm clutch. The sea, all white now and solid. 


RESCUING THE BATAVIA 173 

rolled completely over gun and shield. Just then 
Trumbull, also still near, reached forth. Yohn 
clutched him with the other hand and both held 
tight. Both were swept off their legs, but Yohn 
was stubborn. He managed to retain his hold on 
the rod. Behind Trumbull was Bains, in charge 
of the gun firing. When he saw that sea rolling 
up and nothing else near he grabbed TrumbulPs 
leg with both hands. He, too, was swept from his 
feet, but Billy hung on — to Trumbull, who in turn 
hung to Yohn. To Yohn it was the vital moment 
of his humble, eventful life. All three floated out 
horizontally as the big roller went finally smash 
up against the chart-house, just under the bridge 
in front of the wireless room. In the chart-house 
Telly, Solly and other Jackies had taken sudden 
refuge when they first saw the big swell rolling in. 
Up the side of the house and through the now open 
sash windows came the sea, drenching all v/ithin 
reach. 

Another wave swiftly followed the first but not 
nearly so high. With much spluttering, laughing 


174 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


and joking the gun crew waded back to their gun, 
and as soon as the second wave passed they fired. 
Eains, Trumbull and Yohn himself assisted in 
training and firing. 

The Perry, still making great leaps forward 
all this time, was now inside of nine thousand 
yards. The foretop reported that it fell short. 
But the sub was still there. Billy first shook 
Washy ^s fingers about off, then seized Yohn’s 
hand, where he received as good as he gave, Yohn 
grinning heartily the while and grunting forth: 

‘ ‘ Goot, goot ! W e get um yet — ah-yah ! ^ ^ 

In truth both Trumbull and Billy felt that it was 
to Yohn’s grit and strength they both owed the 
fact that they were not swept away, perhaps over- 
board. Rains slapped Yohn on the back, a sure 
sign of approval. 

‘‘You Ye all right, Yohn — sure you are! The 
Boches may claim you but you’ve shown us you 
are good Amerikaner ! ’ ’ 

By this time the Batavia had ceased firing. No 
use. The U-boat had simply taken her range just 


RESCUING THE BATAVIA 175 

outside of the best the steamer could do, and lei- 
surely peppered away at her victim, feeling sure 
that she would get the other in time. Doubtless 
but for the Perry^s arrival, she would have suc- 
ceeded. 

At last the third shell sent from the destroyer 
landed so close to the sub, that the U-boat sent one 
hurried shot in the Perry* s direction, then — 
presto! There was no submarine in sight any- 
wdiere. 

Still pouring the black smoke out of her funnels, 
the Perry hurried towards the Batavia and hailed 
her through the megaphone when they came 
abreast. She hailed back that she had water in 
her afterhold, and fire in her forehold, and gave 
the number of her wounded, seven in all. No 
deaths. 

The Perry steamed round the Batavia while 
hailing, and at a rate of twenty knots. About this 
time the submarine took into her head to pop up 
again and catch both boats as they slowed down. 
She was about a mile abeam of them, lying low 


176 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

and sinister, like the gray shadow of destruction 
that she was. 

‘‘Now’s our time!” shouted Rains. “Get that 
gun in train — quick!” 

In a trice the active Ja'ckies had swung the bow 
gun fair and square upon the submarine, Billy 
the while sighting pointblank. Then he pulled 
the cord. 

Bang ! Even then she was submerging, but be- 
.fore the conning tower with the periscope was out 
of sight the shell burst right over the submerging 
hull. Distinctly they saw the periscope fly into 
pieces, while the conning tower must have suffered 
too. But, in a breath as it were, she vanished, 
and was seen no more. 

While steaming round the big freighter at a 
slower rate, the Ferry^s launch was lowered, 
and a surgeon and aides boarded the Batavia, 
where the wounded were attended to, and the fire 
extinguished. Her crew was exhausted; but the 
Perry^s crew did all that was necessary. As to 
the water in the hold, some of it was pumped out. 


RESCUING THE BATAVIA 177 

A water-tight bulkhead prevented the flood from 
spreading. As for the fire, one or two spare mat- 
tresses in the forehold was about its size. 

^‘Will that bulkhead hold?^^ demanded the 
Perry^s skipper, still uneasy. This was after the 
launch had returned. 

^‘The Batavia people were uneasy,’^ replied 
Brewster, now in charge of the launch. ‘^But you 
know how cotton bales are. With both holds 
packed, I don’t see how a little water can make 
much difference, unless in weight. She’s high 
enough out of water.” 

^ ‘ Can they make steam all right f ” 

^Wes, sir. Engineer’s wounded, but he made 
’em lift him to his feet so he could cuss the Boches 
better. He ’ll make steam all right. ’ ’ 

Fourteen shells the submarine had landed, and 
still the Batavia was seaworthy. By and by they 
did make steam and set out on a course the Perry 
wigwagged to them. While the launch was 
aboard the steamer the Perry took a quick circle 
round the spot where the sub had disappeared. 


178 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


with a view of dropping depth bombs. So little 
sign was there but that she had gotten oK clear, 
despite the damage to her periscope, that the 
Perry quickly returned to the Batavia, which was 
duly escorted to the distant smudge of smoke now 
visible on the northern horizon. Here she took 
her place with Arabia, also peacefully snoozing 
along with the others on the way to the general 
base, where the Perry boys still anticipated that 
three days’ shore leave. This now seemed very 
desirable to our fresh-water Jackies after so lively 
a siege, coming across on their maiden trip with 
old Father Neptune. 


CHAPTER XI 


SHORE LEAVE IN A FOREIGN PORT 

When the Perry finally steamed into the Chan- 
nel port to which it had been sent for shore leave, 
the Jackies of our own squad were treated to a 
great surprise. What it was you will soon see. 

The convoy safely bestowed, the Perry was re- 
leased from further duties in connection there- 
with, and immediately Avent into certain phases of 
refitting. Destroyers at sea, these days, rapidly 
dissipate many parts of their supplies, especially 
in the munition line. In consequence all hands 
had leave. It Avas a merry company of mid-west 
lads who, now in civilian attire, marched hilari- 
ously up Queen Victoria Street from the docks, 
arm in arm, feeling strange yet Avelcome, and also 
slightly impressed by the fact that they were now 
for the first time upon v/hat had always been to 
them historic ground. It was from this Island 


179 


180 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


that the progenitors of most of these lads had 
come to settle and create a new world. It was 
these people, now their grateful allies, that their 
own sires had fought for seven weary years, to 
win that freedom which they themselves were now 
fighting to help bestow on still benighted Europe. 
And who was helping them? These same de- . 
scendants, whose ancestors had fought them, to 
win for themselves just what both nations now en- 
joyed in common — liberty. ] 

‘‘Gee!’^ said Solly. ‘‘What solid buildings! 
What fine roads ! What a look on everything that 
seems to say, ‘Weh^e here to stay, always U Say, 
Telly; what you doin^ oft there with that messen- 
ger kid V’ ' 

But just then Telly beckoned to Washy Trum- j 
buU, who at once conferred with Telly and a l 
primly uniformed— not boy— but girl! real girl! \ 
The boys were scanning a written message, while \ 
she was holding forth her book and pencil for 
young Truesby's signature, acknowledging re- 
ceipt. 


SHORE LEAVE IN A FOREIGN PORT 181 

‘‘What d’ye think of that, Washy?” gasped 
Telly, still amazed. “Isn’t my old man great? 
Say, we already got friends here: here, old man 
— here ! ’ ’ 

‘ ‘ Did you notice where we are to go first to meet 
these friends?” 

Trumbull was pointing to a certain point in the 
message. Without waiting for Telly’s reply, 
Washy whirled upon the girl, now taking her de- 
parture for her next delivery. 

“Say, miss,” he called, “where will we find the 
Victory? We don’t know the way to go, for we 
are strangers.” 

“No — not strangers here!” smiled the messen- 
ger. “Only strange. Every one knows you are 
Americans, and we love to have you here. ’ ’ Quite 
frank — for a girl, and singularly devoid of the 
messenger-boy slang that would have punctuated 
a delivery in — say New York, or other towns on 
our side. 

“You will have to take a boat,” she continued. 
“Very likely there vvfill be one waiting for you. 


182 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

You are expected. I was sent first to the yard 
gate, where your ship is moored, but was told that 
if I hurried I would find you somewhere along 
here.’^ 

‘ ‘ How did you know us ! ’ ’ smiled Telly, for the 
girl was good to look at. . 

asked a bobby, and he pointed you out — 
every one knows the Yankee Jackies, whether in 
uniform or not. Oh, I hardly know how. We 
just know. Then I asked for Mr. Telfair 
Truesby; then — oh, it was dead easy!’’ 

In a few more words she indicated another dock- 
yard gate, fronting upon a street that was prac- 
tically a water-front, and hurried away. 

The four boys thus left were our original group 
of Jackies that had chummed together at the 
Training Station and afterwards. Snoddy and 
Solly coming forward were met by Telly and 
Washy, young Truesby holding out the blue tinted 
paper which is the British Government’s stereo- 
typed form for official messenger service. He 
read it out, saying : 


SHORE LEAVE IN A FOREIGN PORT 183 

‘^Listen to this, fellows. Isn^t it great in the 
governor ? ^ ’ meaning, of course, his father, the old 
G^alveston sea captain. There were two enclo- 
sures in what he was holding forth. Then he 
read as follows : 

‘‘Dear Son: — Your sister and I, thinking you 
would be lonesome when on your first shore leave 
in England, have cabled to some old friends to 
watch out for your vessel. She doubtless will be 

billeted at P , somewhere along the Channel. 

They live near there. I am cabling this to them 
and they will meet you there. If you meet them 
I hope you will have a good time. Write us as 
often as you can. Your sister is going to write 
weekly, and I am going to pray for your health 
and safety. Father.’’ 

Tills had been cabled from Galveston, and 
showed what Truesby Senior would stand for in 
the way of expense when, as he would express 
it himself, his “dander was really up.” 

The other enclosure was a truly English note, 
written in the angular English hand, inviting Tel- 


184 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

fair Truesby, with his immediate friends, as soon 
as they were ashore on leave, to hunt up these 
friends either at the Blue Post Hotel, or wher- 
ever they might be. They themselves would keep 
in touch with Mr. Telfair Truesby’s probable lo- 
cation, and if possible, communicate with him at 
once. There were also letters which had arrived, 
and which they would receive as soon as Truesby 
and friends reached them. At present they were 
on the Victory sightseeing. Where would it be 
more appropriate to meet young American pa- 
triots than upon that now historic relic of a glori- 
ous past? Such, in substance, were the contents 
of the official envelope handed Telly by the pretty 
English district messenger. 

‘ ^ Isn T it bully ? ’ ’ said Telly. ‘ ‘ I never told you^ 
but my mother was English, and it’s her folks, 
the Bullers, who live near here and are waiting 
for us on that old Nelson flagship. Whoopee! 
Boys, we’re in for a good time, sure as you’re 
a foot high!” 

They started at once for the dock^^ard gate that 


SHORE LEAVE IN A FOREIGN PORT 185 


was wide open, thougli with a uniformed sentry 
pacing to and fro at the entrance. As the boys 
came up he barred further progress with his mus- 
ket horizontally placed before him, saying in a 
smiling way: 

^‘Halt! I see you are a squad o^ bloomin^ 
’Mericans out on leave, I guess. Was ye bound 
fer th’ old Vict'ry?^* 

‘‘Yes, yes,^’ began Telly, presenting his letter. 
“We have friends who are awaiting us there. 
This will explain.’’ 

‘ ‘ ’S all the explainin ’ I want, wot ye just said. ’ ^ 
The sentry replaced his gun on shoulder, adding : 
“Go right on down the walk ’til ye comes to a 
pier, with a bashed I’il tug boat waitin’ theer for 
ye. Show yer papers and they ’ll whisk ye aboord 
’fore ye kin saay Billy be dommed.” 

He grinned amiably as the boys thanked him 
and hurried on along a paved walk, with sizable 
shade trees on either hand, passed sundry rows 
of buildings that looked somehow official, one or 
two with sentries pacing before them, until out 


186 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


upon a broad pier or dock, where various vessels 
were moored, loading or unloading military sup- 
plies of divers kinds, to v/liere at last a shabby tug 
fumed noisily at a side abutment. 

^ ^ There ’s our boat, I bet, ’ ’ remarked Telly, halt- 
ing at a gang^vay w^here stood a trim Jacky not 
unlike themselves, only in the British uniform. 
To him Telly, saluting intuitively, presented his 
father ’s letter, saying : 

^^We want to go aboard the old Victory, where 
friends are waiting for us. ’ ^ 

The Jacky, without heeding the letter, grasped 
Telly’s hand, also that of the other boys, as he 
said: 

’S’all right. I knows yer frien’s. Yer 
frien’s ’s my frien’s. Cap Buller — ain’t he th’ 
man ? Right-o ! J est step down the gangway and 
we ’ll be otf in a jitf y. ’ ’ 

It so happened there were but few visitors that 
morning, and aside from the crew of the tug, our 
lads were the only others on board. 

Snorting noisily, they steamed out into the har- 


SHORE LEAVE IN A FOREIGN PORT 187 


bor, passing various piers at wbicb vessels of 
various kinds were moored and busy scenes of 
loading and unloading going on ; also huge, walled 
dockyards, wherein warships were being refitted, 
some in dry-dock, others at wharves, others 
moored out in enclosed basins, and so on. Out in 
midstream the boys were surprised to note the 
number and size of warships, ranging from small 
sub-chasers and swift destroyers up to cruisers 
and battleships ; a few moving, but most of them 
moored to floating buoys. The harbor was broad 
and ample, and the phases of marine activity nu- 
merous and imposing. Off to the west rose cliff- 
like hills, their sides dotted with villas, while 
around the further reaches of the bay could be 
seen a number of small villages, part of the sub- 
urbs of one of England’s largest naval stations. 
Far to the south rose the blue hills of an historic 
isle, bounding the harbor from the boisterous 
Channel outside, an isle where for many years the 
poet laureate of the empire, during Victoria’s 
reign, had his home. 


188 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


At last, in a sort of watery by-nook they saw the 
towering hull, now roofed over, with three bare 
masts rising skeleton-like through the roofing of 
that old historic relic of Britain’s famous victory 
over the naval might of the first Napoleon, the 
then European kaiser of that day and time, whose 
final downfall at Waterloo typifies, we hope, the 
modern crushing of Kaiserism by the united force 
of the world’s democracies. As in the old days, 
when Britain had a leading hand, it seems likely 
that her part now will not be less forceful than 
then, especially when she and her Allies are backed 
by Uncle Sam. 

In another minute or so the small tug drew 
snorting up beside a floating platform, on the op- 
posite side of which a stairway climbed slopingly 
the tall sides of the old battleship. 

Bidding the young Jackies on the tug an hilari- 
ous adieu, our boys ran across the platform, up 
the stairs, and right into the midst of a small 
group of typically English observers of this rather 
unusual invasion. 


SHORE LEAVE IN A FOREIGN PORT 189 

There were three naval officers, prim, precise, 
uniformed to the chin, clustering about a side- 
whiskered, good-humored looking civilian, at 
Avhose elbow was a charming girl nearing the end 
of her teens, and two youngsters, one in a Jacky’s 
naval rig, with two cross-bars on his flannel sleeve ; 
the other evidently a non-commissioned officer — 
probably corporal or sergeant — of artillery. All, 
of course, were British. At the elderly civilian’s 
other elbow was no less a personage than Chief 
Gunner Brewster of the Perry. The boys, while 
being warmly welcomed by the group, were almost 
agape at sight of Brewster, who greeted them 
casually while giving them a sly wink or two, as 
if to caution them against unduly breaking out 
^ ^ in public. ’ ’ 

The elderly man, picking out Telly by a picture 
which he and the girl were scanning, at once shook 
hands heartily, first with Truesby, then the others. 

Still like your father,” said he heartily. 
‘‘Your father as I used to know him, when we 
first met, years back in Galveston, when he was 


190 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


quartermaster on one of your naval ships during 
the Spanish war, and I was son of the owner of a 
ship your folks had captured in Cuban waters and 
brought there. Father and I were trying to get 
our property released. Thanks to your father 
and his friend, who happened to be port collector, 
we succeeded. 

^ ‘ I always remembered that incident, and it was 
the basis of a friendship that has grown between 
us to this day. It led to his marriage to my 
younger sister in three months. You, Telfair, 
and your sister were born. Your mother ^s death 
then further cemented that friendship. Glad am 
I that at last I may be able, in some small measure, 
to be of service to that half-orphaned nephew. I 
think we have letters from your sister, asking me 
to be good to yourself and your friends. As if 
that would be necessary — 

Some one pulled upon his sleeve. It was the 
charming girl, who was waiting her chance. The 
old gentleman coughed, apologized, and began : 

‘‘To be sure, Marian! I forgot. This is my 


SHORE LEAVE IN A FOREIGN PORT 191 


daughter, Telfair. This,’’ indicating the non- 
com, ‘‘is my oldest boy, Ralph Buller. This 
young scapegrace,” atfectionately patting the 
British Jacky’s shoulder, “is our youngest. He 
is now about to join the Was'p, as a gunner’s mate, 
having already served over a year and won his 
promotion at the battle of Jutland. You must all 
learn to like each other well.” 

Even while Squire Buller was thus making those 
present known to each other, it was evident that 
Telly was already taken with his fair cousin’s 
looks and ways. She, smiling, chatting gayly, yet 
with that half coy air that so easily distinguishes 
the well-bred English girl, was giving to Telfair 
the letters that had, according to prior direction, 
come to them uncensored through the British su- 
pervisional offices. 

Meanwhile the three naval officers, chatting to- 
gether as if they felt somewhat outside of this 
family reunion, now came forward, while Brew- 
ster, nudging our Jackies confidentially, said : 

‘ ‘ Surprised to see me here f Tut, tut ! Mustn ’t 


192 OUR JACKIES WITH THE ELEET 

be surprised at anything that happens on this 
side. These officers are old acquaintances of 
mine. We first met when I was a ^prentice aboard 
the old Hartford at Gibraltar, a number of years 
ago. They were boy-middies. You see now 
they Ve risen a bit. We most of us do, provided 
we aren’t killed off.” 

It appeared they were junior officers from some 
of the ships then in harbor and were out on a 
short leave, in order to sip the Blue Post Inn ale, 
refresh their sea legs with solid land to walk on, 
and with Brewster, whom they knew of old as he 
said, were sightseeing on the Victory, All being 
made acquainted, they went over the old relic to- 
gether, whose aspect and peculiarities have been 
so often described as to render most of it unneces- 
sary now. To the Bullers the historic ship was no 
new sight. Indeed Squire Buller, on learning that 
Telfair and his friends were given shore leave, 
had sent out various emissaries, such as our tele- 
graph girl and others, to waylay them on gaining 
the docks, and pilot or direct them to the Victory, 


SHORE LEAVE IN A FOREIGN PORT 193 

where their friends were waiting. An hour or 
so was pleasantly spent, looking over the various 
points of special interest on board. 

Finally they reached the spot on the quarter- 
deck where a tablet, let into the flooring, indicated 
that this was the spot where Lord Nelson received 
his death wound. Squire Buller pointed with his 
cane at the inscription. 

‘^Now, boys,” said he, sweeping all with a com- 
prehensive glance, ‘Moes this spot have any spe- 
cial significance for you I I mean all of you ex- 
cept Marian, whose sex limits her to the Red 
Cross and kindred activities!” 

No one at first replied. 

‘^Well, sir,” began Trumbull, rather diflGidently, 
suppose it means a good deal to every true 
sailor. But whether we are able to work up to 
; what Nelson did before death took him higher, is 
' a conundrum that no one may answer. One 
• thing we can do, sir, and that is we can try. Not 
I to be admirals, or anything else in the very high- 
j up line. But we can do our best in whatever way 


194 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


fate calls on us to be true Britons, Americans, 
French or Italians. Whether we succeed or not, 
our countries will be better off than if we hung 
back and slumped along in the rear.^’ 

‘‘Bully for you. Washy burst forth Solly, ap- 
parently unable to restrain himself, regardless of 
others present. “IVe alw^ays wanted to do that * 
way, even when I gave you boys trouble trying to 
keep up with our train back in good old Pitts- 
burgh. Yes, sir! WeTl keep a tryin’.’’ 

Here the young Jacky, Calthorp Buller, grabbed 
Solly ^'s hand and wrung it, saying: 

“Bully for you, Solly! I forget your other 
name, but I like your pluck. I never was in Pitts- 
burgh, but it’s good, I know, just because you say 
so. I’m with you on that, for I’ve always wanted 
to do things, too. Say, I wish you and me was 
going to be pals — don ’t you I ” 

Solly assented, grinningly, of course, while 
Father Buller smiled, and Marian shot the big, 
rather awkward youth an approving glance and : 

I 

smile. i 


SHORE LEAVE ,IN A FOREIGN PORT 195 

‘‘Well, boys,'^ put in the squire, “I see that 
LTncle Sam and Johnny Bull need not blush for 
the material that is going into the make-up of 
those from among whom their future naval heroes 
are likely to come. But haven ’t we all had enough, 
even of the Victory — long may she thus endure as 
an inspiration and a heroic remembrance? I am 
getting rather hungry. Suppose we adjourn to 
the Blue Post for luncheon. It will be a fitting 
corollary to our visit here, for the great Nelson 
used to dine there. That is, in the old-time inn 
that stood where the big hostelry is now, that bears 
a name for a hundred years honored in British 
naval annals. Mr. Trumbull, won’t you go ahead 
with Marian while the rest of us follow? We are 
all in good trim to do justice to what we Tl, find 
to eat there. Let us hope, despite the food regu- 
lations, that there will be a slice of roast beef — 
hey, nephew?” He playfully nudged Telly and 
Snoddy, for one was on either side of him. 

A truly jovial old gentleman he was, full of good 
humor and hard common sense. They lunched, in 


196 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

much more commodious quarters than where Nel- 
son and his compeers sat over their meals in the 
historic inn, where three generations of British 
naval men had made their headquarters before it 
was finally torn down and rebuilt as a modern six- 
story hotel. 

The lunch was good, the company jovial, and 
the hour when they were through well along to- 
wards mid-afternoon. By that time the Buller 
car, immaculate from the garage, was in waiting. 
Brewster and his friends bade the squire au 
revoir, and took themselves oft upon their own 
affairs. 

‘^Remember, boys,’’ cautioned Brewster to our 
Jackies from the Perry, ‘^don’t you let Johnny 
Bull’s hospitality, here or in London, make you 
overstay your leave. We may be in the Bay o’ 
Biscay or the North Sea in less than a week from 
now. ’ ’ 

‘‘You bet we’ll be there,” was Solly’s response. 
“If anything’s doin’, I want to be right in it— 
see?” 


SHORE LEAVE IN A FOREIGN PORT 197 

Out through a pleasant rolling conntryside, 
where fringes of forest were interlaced mth 
gorse-strewn interludes of open land, which in 
turn gave way to wider areas of moorland sugges- 
tive of partridge, pheasant, and rabbit, their car 
rolled smoothly over macadam highways, until it 
drew in through an open gateway leading towards 
the solid, old-time house on a nearby rise. 


CHAPTER XII 


THE NIGHT AIR RAID 

Cally, as the other boys already called him, was 
the chauffeur. With him our four Jackies were 
already upon familiar terms. As they were 
rather crowded Marian sat in her father’s lap, 
with Telly and Washy in the two seats beside her, 
while in front Solly and Snoddy managed to crowd 
their athletic bodies somehow in beside Cally. It 
was quite a family party. 

Ralph had gone off with the others, having an 
engagement to dinner with some of the British 
non-coms. 

^ ‘ See you all to-morrow, ’ ’ he had assured them. 
^‘You’re going up to town.” London is mostly 
^‘town” to folks living within a hundred miles of 
that extensive, air-raided metropolis. “Be sure 
you remember that.” 

It felt strange enough to our mid-west young- 


198 


THE NIGHT AIR RAID 


199 


sters, to feel that they were really guests in one 
of the old-style country homes that have sheltered 
an English family for many generations. Round 
it was quite an extensive park, aside from sundry 
farms, long, rented to families who had also lived 
as tenants on the same estate for periods unbe- 
lievably long to lads raised among our shifting 
systems of living in the land of their nativity. 

‘^You see,’’ explained Squire Duller, was not 
always the squire here. In earlier days, when 
your fathers and mine were younger, I followed 
the sea. That was the way. Telly, I got acquainted 
with your father. He, too, was a sailor. Well, 
my uncle died. He had no heirs. My father fell 
heir to the estate. Then dad died and I came in : 
must have been about the time when your father 
and I knew each other. Well, I’ll serve my time 
and then, if the war or something else doesn’t get 
him, Ralph will be squire.” 

^Ht sure looks good to me,” said Trumbull, ^^to 
know you’ve been firmly anchored to one spot so 
long that you can always feel like it’s home.” 


200 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


‘‘I should say so/’ remarked Telfair, looking 
slyly at Marian, quietly knitting on a sweater for 
some one at the front or at sea. ‘‘We Yankees are 
restless folks. I suppose that is the way when 
people try to settle in a new country. Sometimes 
I wish I had always lived in one place, too. ’ ’ 

He glanced again at Marian, who happened to 
look at him, whereat both colored and looked else- 
where. Trumbull again pulled out a short en- 
closure which Telly had given him from the letter 
Aline had written to her brother. It was short, 
but AYashy found in its very ambiguousness a sort 
of pleasure. 

“I’ve only known you a short time,” she had 
written at the close. “I wonder if we will ever 
be better acquainted? I hope so.” 

Right then and there Trumbull resolved that 
if her suggestion was never realized, the fault 
would not be his. 

“I’m going to do a bold thing,” he reflected. 
“ I ’ll write to her while we are in London. ’ ’ 

The fact that he did write then, and under most 


I 


THE NIGHT AIR RAID 


201 


unusual circumstances was a fact that, to Washy, 
the continuance of their friendship was no small 
contingency. 

‘‘I might say she wrote me first, he concluded. 
‘‘It would be impolite in me not to acknowledge 
her courtesy.’’ 

Although the nature of their visit to the Bullers 
amid the novel surroundings that met them at 
every turn, was most entertaining, the London 
trip could not be delayed, in view of their short 
leave. What was their surprise and pleasure 
when the squire announced that night that he and 
Marian might as well motor up to the city, taking 
their young American friends along, and thus 
avoid the war-time annoyances of a trip by train. 

‘ ‘ I have already engaged a suite of rooms at the 
Grand, and there will be room for you boys along 
with Calthorp. Ralph will probably wish to stay 
at his club. We have an extra large tonneau in 
my other car. It will hold us all — don ’t fear. ’ ’ 

So the matter was settled. By nine the follow- 
ing day they were rolling over the smooth ma- 


202 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


cadam roads towards the great metropolis, enjoy- 
ing the charmingly cultured aspect of the scenery, 
passing through various stably built towns, even 
gaining glimpses of occasional cantonments, where 
sundry newer detachments of English troops were 
still in training. Finally they began to thread the 
extensive suburban districts that herald by de- 
grees the approach to the great city. They 
crossed the Thames at Windsor where, notwith- 
standing the display of national flags, the palace 
and town had a sort of semi-deserted aspect. 
Then on eastward through outlying districts, into 
Kensington and on past the parks and finally into 
Piccadillyy Regent Street and so towards Trafal- 
gar Square. 

‘^"We have our town house over that way,^’ said 
the squire, pointing vaguely northward behind 
Park Lane. ‘^But it is now closed. In fact, I 
think of donating the use of it to the Government 
for our wounded. ’ ^ 

‘‘That’s fine, sir,” remarked Solly frankly. 
“It must make you feel good to be able to do things 


THE NIGHT AIR RAID 


203 


like that now, when your age disqualifies you for 
going right into the ructions over in Flanders.’^ 

‘^Well, my lad/’ the squire smiled rather sadly, 
‘‘we must all do our bit. Some one way; some 
another. If I was like you or Calthorp, or my 
nephew here, perhaps I would be where my sons 
now are. But by all of us doing our tasks, we are 
permitted to help the nation and — let us hope — the 
world. ’ ’ 

Once they rounded into the Square, Nelson’s 
tall column with the crouching lions immediately 
attracted general attention. 

‘ ‘ Gee ! ’ ’ This from Snoddy, pointing. ‘ ‘ Where 
are them lions? I’ve read about this place so 
much ! There ’s the National Gallery — all shut up, 
too. And what are them shapeless bundles at the 
base of old Nelson’s figure up there?” 

He pointed at the form of the Admiral far up 
on high. 

“Well, you see, the Huns have been raiding us 
so much of late that we had to take certain precau- 
tions. ’ ’ The squire grimaced distastefully. “We 


204 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

couldn^t very well shield the column with Nelson 
on top, but we put Landseer ^s lions under shelter. 
Those are bomb-proof shields, my lad. And the 
Gallery, it’s closed most of the time, except to 
privileged visitors, and the really valuable pic- 
tures, statues, and the like, here and at the Mu- 
seum, are put away under safe shelter. I ’m sorry, 
for we would like you to see them, but the war has 
come most too close — even here. Why, only last 
month there was an air-raid, where some of the 
bombs came close to Ludgate Hill: St. Paul’s, 
you know. ’ ’ 

“I know,” put in Snoddy again. ‘‘Eight there 
in the basement lie Nelson and the Iron Duke. 
Wouldn’t it be a pity for a Boche bomb to reach 
them?” 

\. 

“So far our main public buildings have escaped. 
But one never knows. It seemed only prudence 
to shield many other priceless things.” The 
squire sighed, shook his head, then; “I seldom 
come here now. Marian feels like me.” 

The girl nodded ; but about this time they drew ^ 


'205 


THE NIGHT AIR RA.ID 

up before a hotel, almost a skyscraper, which 
reared its nine or ten stories where the Strand de- 
bouched intQ^^he Square. It was the Grand, now 
rather ancient, yet fully up-to-date. Across, di- 
agonally and nearer St. Martin’s Church, was the 
old Morley Hotel, reminiscent of the age of Thack- 
eray and Dickens. 

While the trip had been rather leisurely, for a 
motor journey, and the distance not more than a 
hundred miles at most, the afternoon was well 
along by the time the party were comfortably en- 
sconced in the ample suite on the — th floor, pretty 
well up, which the easy-going, generous squire had 
engaged for his family and those whom he most 
evidently considered his guests. 

As sightseeing was naturally the aim of the 
Jackies, a late luncheon and an early dinner was 
combined at an hour so that the evening was be- 
fore them to do what they pleased. 

The squire adjourned to the Army and Navy 
Club, up Piccadilly way. The Jackies, piloted by 
Calthorp, set out along the Strand, leaving Marian 


206 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


apparently to her own devices. But there must 
have been some understanding between her and 
her cousin, for half an hour later Telfair saun- 
tered back to the hotel and into one of the lifts 
that transported him a moment later to the door 
of the sitting-room of the squire ^s suite arrayed^ 
for the nonce, in a regulation evening garb, even 
to top hat and gloves. 

‘^Why, how nice you look!’’ said Marian, after 
answering his knock. ‘^Do you think we are do- 
ing wrong?” 

‘^Oh, no indeed, cousin,” he laughed, feel 
sure that you are not. Whether your father 
would absolve me, if he knew how hard I tried to 
persuade you before you would consent, is rather 
problematic. ’ ’ 

‘‘W^here shall we go?” she asked most demurely. 

There’s a musical show on at Convent Garden, 
Pavlowa and the Russian ballet at Drury Lane, 
and — ” 

Let’s go there, please. All my life I’ve been 


THE NIGHT AIR RAID 


207 


reading of Drury Lane. If there was no show, 
I just like to see the building. ’ ^ 

‘‘Oh, well! You Americans always go crazy 
over things we have got so used to, we never think 
twice about them. It’s a pleasant walk, and we 
won ’t bother the taxis. ’ ’ 

Was she thinking about the probable thinness 
of a Jacky’s bank roll? Calthorp seldom had 
more than would last him for the day when in 
town, unless he tackled the squire. But Truesby 
insisted on the taxi. After all it would look bet- 
ter, so into a taxi they were bundled by an atten- 
tive driver. If the old Drury was disappointing, 
Pavlowa and her dancers were not. But, right in 
the midst of the last ballet, there came a thin, pene- 
trating sound from outside, shrill and clear, like 
a bugle. It came from the direction of Oxford 
Street or Holborn, and had an astonishing effect 
on everybody, except, perhaps, Telfair. The effect 
on him was mainly astonishment over the effect 
upon the others, including Miss Marian herself. 


208 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


First the ballet and the music stopped. Then 
this shrill blare floated in from the direction of the 
Strand. A similar sound to the first, yet nearer. 
Both sounds were repeated, and seemed to be 
moving westward. Marian grasped her cousin’s 
arm, and at the same time the theater lights went 
low. Still he wondered. Was it the prelude to 
some scene that required a darkened house, as in 
the numerous movie theaters? 

People all over the house were rising, moving 
towards the exits. Pavlowa herself came to the 
stage front and bade the audience, in rather ex- 
citable foreign English, to be composed, to remain 
in their seats, as nothing would be gained by rush- 
ing into the streets. Still the girl gripped Telly’s 
arm tightly, and he could hear her say in half- 
whispered accents of alarm : 

‘ ‘ Let us go — let us go back to the hotel ! Papa 
will be alarmed if he finds out we are away.” 

‘‘All right,” he assented, feeling that so much 
earnestness must have valid cause underneath it. 
“Your wishes are first, seeing you were so kind 


THE NIGHT AIR RAID 209 

as to go with me. But — ^what is the matter with 
everybody^’’ 

‘'Don’t you know!” she panted. “But I for- 
got. You are just arrived. It’s another of those 
horrid air-raids. And on the very night I was 
having such a good time ! ’ ’ 

This certainly was an honest confession and 
Telly, now fully alive to certain dread possibili- 
ties, at once began leading her from the stalls to 
the aisle, whence most of their immediate neigh- 
bors had already gone. Then the bugle calls, now 
resounding from several directions, were punc- 
tuated by several sharp though still distant ex- 
plosions. There came an ensuing uproar of bell- 
ringing, squealing whistles, and a general rush of 
vehicle traffic from the nearby streets to whatever 
places of possible shelter might, on the spur of 
the minute, be attainable. 

Marian, now thoroughly alarmed, dragged the 
J acky along, the passages being mostly empty, de- 
spite Pavlowa’s warning that it was best to re- 


main. 


210 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

They debouched in a side street, but there were 
no taxis, cabs, or anything else to be had. 

Out in the air the nearing sounds of mystic 
shocks and explosions were vastly increased. The 
lights in general were being put out. It was diffi- 
cult to see the way. The gas-lamps on the streets 
had been doused at the first alarm, and Truesby 
was obliged to own that he hardly knew which 
way to go in ordey to reach their hotel. 

Soon another order of reports began to ring out, 
first on one side, then on the other. These, so 
others about them said, were by the anti-aircraft 
guns, which were endeavoring to locate the where- 
abouts of the raiders, up above, by means of rock- 
ets, or the firing of star shells that exploded high 
up in the air, and other devices. Meantime, with 
the warning advent of those bugles, the whole city 
was fast vanishing into midnight darkness. 

There’s only one thing for you and me to do,” 
said Telfair, as they groped their way along one 
of the side streets that abut upon Drury Lane. 
“We must try and find our way back to the Strand. 


THE NIGHT AIR RAID 


211 


From there a blind man could pick his way back 
to Trafalgar Square and the Grand. 

So, arm in arm, they worried along until, coming 
to a cross street, they had to inquire. Finally 
they reached the Lane and from there found that 
they were off the direct track and in Catherine 
Street. But from there it was not difficult to 
reach the Strand. Just then the bell in St. Mary’s 
Church clock tower rang out midnight. 

‘^My, Telfair!” worried the girl, ‘^papa will be 
back from the club. What will we do?” 

‘‘Hurry and meet him. Where do you suppose 
the other boys have gone ? ’ ’ 

But there was no answer ready to that, only 
that Marian hoped they were safe. It was singu- 
lar to note that the Strand, one of London’s best 
lighted and most crowded thoroughfares, was so 
dark that only the vaguest notion as to their where- 
abouts possessed even the girl. Though she had 
often been in town before during the season, this 
kind of a London made their surroundings seem 
as strange as if they had been transported sud- 


212 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


denly to Whitechapel, or some other strange sub- 
urb. Marian wanted to turn to the right. 

^‘That isn’t the way to Charing Cross, which 
we have to pass, you know. ’ ’ 

But the girl, who was right, insisted. Likewise 
so did Telly, whose sense of direction was so 
turned that he felt sure the left was the true way. 
The dispute approached a quarrel. Meantime, 
from far overhead, an ominous whirring as of 
mighty wings was growing audible. It alarmed 
Marian still more. She knew that sound, having 
had it described too often before by those to whom 
it was not strange. The banging of guns, and the 
nearer crash of an occasional explosive so startled 
her that she gathered up her skirts and darted 
away in the direction she had so strongly indi- 
cated, giving no heed to his protests. Of course 
he must follow, for there was nothing else for him 
to do. 

By this time the Strand was practically de- 
serted. So black was the gloom that it was as 
much by instinct as by sight that one could help 


THE NIGHT AIR RAID 


213 


running into something, either lamp-post, or other 
obstruction, or — perchance — an individual. For 
several short blocks the two kept on in silence, 
Telly meanwhile more uneasy than ever as to their 
course. 

Past some large object out in the mid-street the 
girl flew; then on, past the Charing Cross gates, 
all invisible as yet. Suddenly she felt a human 
form tilt against her roughly, and would have 
fallen hut that invisible hands seized her, upheld 
her, while a voice — dearest of voices! — that she 
knew at once broke forth : 

‘^Your pardon, miss. I was trying to find 
my—” 

‘‘Papa, papa!” she burst out, hysterically. 
“DonT you know — ^me?” 

“Marian!” the squire’s tones rose into a qua- 
vering cry. “Marian! Is it you? Oh, my 
God ! ’ ’ Two unseen but recognized arms enfolded 
her, and Marian almost sobbed as she clung to 
him. 

Dark it might be, with frightful, unknown noises 


214 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

growing menacing about her, but all at once she 
felt strangely serene. 

Meantime up came Telfair, groping, plunging, 
calling in loud half whispers, ‘‘Cousin Marian — 
where are you f Who is with you — ’ ’ 

“It^s Telfair — ” she began; but the squire, all 
at once wrathy, broke in. 

“You’re a nice escort!” His voice shook with 
wrath. “You — you — ” 

Amid the loud whirring overhead, punctuated 
by short, sharp crackles, something descended 
hissing, and a sudden glare was somehow emitted. 
At once Telly, more familiar with the sounds of 
bursting bombs than the others, threw himself 
upon the squire and his daughter, as if assaulting 
them. In truth there was no time to be polite. 

The glare grew blinding, with sharp sputte rings 
deafeningly near. 

The squire tried to protest while he struggled ; 
Marian screamed helplessly ; but both were rudely 
borne to the pavement, as it happened, just behind 
one of the high metal patrol boxes that tower in 


THE NIGHT AIR RAID 


215 


front of the iron gates to Charing Cross station. 
Over both Telly spread himself, wishing, if con- 
scious of anything, that he was twice as great in 
extent of spreading power. What the other two 
thought is unknown ; perhaps that Telly had sud- 
denly gone crazy. 

Then something struck, not him or them, but the 
sloping body of the patrol box, glancing off to- 
wards the iron fence fronting the street. When 
that something hit the box, it did not explode, but 
when it ricochetted and struck the high iron rail- 
ings, it did explode. 

A shock, an immense glare, and an echoing roar. 
The bursting contents flew upward, shattering the 
fence, peppering the patrol-box, but strangely 
omitting to injure either the squire or his daugh- 
ter, though pieces of shrapnel ripped the back of 
Telly ^s dress coat and made a sieve out of his 
top hat, doubtless saving his head from similar 
treatment. 

Squire Buffer got up staggeringly, shook him- 
self and wondered what had happened. Just then 


216 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


one of the star shells, lighting the darkness, wan- 
dered over Charing Cross, burst, and showed him 
his nephew, looking very ragged and torn, care- 
fully lifting up Marian from the gutter, where she 
had been pushed, with her father on top of her. 
Beyond a few mud stains the girl was absolutely 
uninjured. The squire felt vaguely bruised. But 
Telly — it was really him — was an apparent wreck. 

He did not act like a wreck, however. Solici- 
tously, as the darkness again settled down, he held 
her in his arms, felt her pulse, supported her, un- 
til the parental handclasp sought his own amid the 
recurring darkness, and a parental voice shakily 
intoned : 

'‘That was great. Telly! Great, I tell you! I 
take everything back. God bless you, my boy! 
Are you hurtr^ 

"Only my hat and coat, sir! Marian— are you 
all right ? ’ ’ 

‘‘I — I think so, — thanks to you, dear boy!’^ 


CHAPTER XIII 


DOWNING THE ZEPPELIN 

As has been said, the Jackies, piloted by Cally, 
set out along the Strand. They were in search of 
an old noted hostelry, famous for many genera- 
tions, called the Cock Tavern, somewhere near 
Temple Bar. 

Both Trumbull and Truesby, having read much 
in Tennyson during their school days, had a senti- 
mental longing to partake of the broiled beefsteaks 
and ale, both noted among city epicures, and also 
to sit in the ancient stalls where their boyish fav- 
orite poet with others quite famous, in the long 
ago, had sat and feasted both mentally and physi- 
cally. 

They found the place without much trouble, go- 
ing down a step or two, and over the sawdusted 
floor, with their surroundings refreshingly an- 
tique and all according to traditional flavor. Soon 


217 


218 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

they were feasting as per program, and enjoying 
themselves hugely. 

Said Calthorp at last : 

^‘Now, boys, well soon be through here. Then 
we’ll peg along up Fleet street, to where there’s 
the bulliest music hall in the old town. Only a 
shilling to get in. But you’ll hear some of the 
toppiest nobs in Lunnon’s up-to-the-notch singin’ 
world there is going. Rag-time? You bet! 
Tipperary? Yeh! Tipperary’s a little passe, 
but still goes some. There’s ^Tommy’s Off for 
Flanders,’ and ‘AYe’ll Down the Sub, with a Rub- 
a-dub-dub,’ and lots more while we drink healths 
to each other and all the world, ’cept the Boches. 
Let’s have a good old time to-night, and see the 
sights to-morrow. ’ ’ 

Some time was thus passed, but on rising to 
leave the old hostelry, it was discovered that Telly 
had somehow vanished. 

^^What can be the matter?” echoed Solly, who 
had sat next to the absentee. ‘^He was here five 
minutes ago.” 


DOWNING THE ZEPPELIN 


219 


Don’t you worry,” remarked Cal thorp cas- 
ually. saw him and sister confabbing together 
just before we left. Wouldn’t wonder if they 
haven’t fixed up something together that don’t 
need any of us around for a while.” 

Finding that Telly had indeed taken himself off, 
the other boys, after disputing as to who should 
pay the very reasonable bill, during which Cal- 
thorp himself settled with the waiter, as he had 
intended to do all the while, young Buller led the 
way to the street. 

‘^Now, Cally,” said Trumbull, ^‘you’ve more 
than done your share. When we reach that music 
hall, I’m going to be paymaster — see?” 

^^Rats! It’s to be my turn then.” This from 
Snoddy, while the rest protested confusedly as 
they strolled along the Strand, jostling and being 
jostled by others, but all in fine humor. Indeed, 
being recognized by other promenaders for what 
they were, Jackies from the Allied fleet, folks gen- 
erally laughed with them, while more than one cor- 
dial invitation was given to join their interlocu- 


220 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

tors in further sharing of the many offered hospi- 
talities of the moment. 

They passed the Strand Theater, now old and 
given over largely to the movies, and finally, reach- 
ing St. Mary’s, where later Truesby and Marian 
again found the Strand, Gaily turned into a nar- 
row lane that led towards where bright rows and 
semi-circles of lights proclaimed one of London’s 
famous music halls to be. But that haven they 
were not destined to reach that night. 

Suddenly the distant but nearing sound of bu- 
gles rose from the east. It was the same sound 
that broke in upon the entertainment at Drury 
Lane theater. Instantly Calthorp stopped, lis- 
tened, then slapped his thigh. 

‘ ‘ Know what that means ? ” he exclaimed. 

‘^Must be some sort of parade,” suggested Solly 
lazily. ‘‘Queer time for that. What is she — 
somebody off for the Front!” 

“Parade!” snorted Gaily. “Yes, it’s a parade 
all right ! But it ’s up in the air. It ’s a Boche pa- 


DOWNING THE ZEPPELIN 


221 


rade that ^11 be showerin’ down bombs and other 
bouquets of their kind before long!” 

‘‘You don’t mean — an air-raid?” queried Trum- 
bull, while queer thrills, not so much of appre- 
hension as of uneasy curiosity, permeated the 
group. 

“Had we better go in?” began Snoddy, when 
suddenly all the bright lights inside and outside 
of the concert hall went out, leaving the narrow 
lane quite dark. A bobby or two hurried by, call- 
ing into shops and other buildings as they ran : 

“All lights out! Air-raiders coming! Lights 
all out ! ’ ’ and so on. 

Following Calthorp, the boys dodged into a 
broad hallway, where inside burners showed it to 
be a district postal, telegraph and messenger sta- 
tion. Calthorp hurried to a uniformed man bend- 
ing over one of the ’phones, shoved a half-crown 
into his hand, and queried : 

“Where’s she coming from, old top? Put us 


on, won ’t ye ? ” 


222 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


The man, seeing that they were navy boys and 
sober, slyly pocketed the coin, listened again, then 
with the receivers at his ears volunteered : 

‘‘You lads better make for your lodgings wher- 
ever they be. It’s a scattering affair, this. 
Some’s cornin’ from sou ’west, some from nor ’east. 
Eastcheap ’phones in they’s Zepp’lins in it. 
Don’t ye bother me. I gotter spread the news as 
hit comes in.” 

By this time the offices were in darkness, but the 
wires were working hard ; the boys could see that. 
Moreover, other far distant sounds seemed to in- 
dicate that firing or bombing was taking place, 
though the sounds were too faint to be certain of 
their origin. 

Cally led the way back to the street, the others 
following, and all were silent. The lane was 
crowded with people from the music hall. Back 
to Fleet Street they groped in the dark. Busses, 
cars, traffic of all kinds, appeared to be held up, 
not only by the sudden darkness, but by the thickly 
crowded streets and side pavements. Most of 


DOWNING THE ZEPPELIN 


223 


these ramblers were trying to find their way back 
to their abodes or other stopping places. 

Curtains, blinds, were down over windows ; 
street lights were out, while up in the heavens star 
shells and other sudden illuminations began to be 
seen, here, there, but mostly in the east or the 
southwest. To the boys it looked more menacing 
towards the east. 

Suddenly Trumbull turned to Cally: 

‘ ‘ This is no night for amusement, unless we can 
get something out of the air-raiders. I move we 
hunt up a cab or something and make for the near- 
est point where something from above seems likely 
to happen — hullo! What’s this?” 

This proved to be one of the entrances to the 
subway under the Thames, which Cally at once 
said extended far into the districts of the city on 
the Surrey side of the Thames. 

‘^Boys,” remarked Solly, ^‘I heard a chap say 
back yonder that them Zeps was cornin’ from the 
southeast. I’d like to catch a glimpse of a Zep — 
sure I would ! What ye say, Cally?” 


224 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


^ ^ Good a way to go as any, ^ ^ was Calthorp ’s con- 
clusion. ''At least weTl be out of the way of 
bombs while we’re under ground.” 

By tacit consent the boys pushed their way down 
a series of dark stairways, in which the lighting in- 
creased as they descended, until they could keep 
together without holding hands or to clothing. 
Indeed, once Snoddy had a nervous scare when a 
sudden turn disclosed that, instead of holding to 
Trumbull’s coat-tails as he supposed, he was 
clinging to the jacket of a woman. She, discov- 
ering this at the same time, was about to scream, 
when a gleam from the light disclosed by the stair- 
way’s turn made plain that she was in the com- 
pany of an American Jacky. Instead she smiled, 
as she released herself when Snoddy lamely apolo- 
gized. 

Down in the subway they managed to push in 
amid an excited crowd and board a passing train, 
that soon rumbled under the river. To our boys it 
might just as well have been the Hudson as the 
Thames, for all the outward signs. 


DOWNING THE ZEPPELIN 225 

Gaily learned that this train threaded the Lam- 
beth district, and on out in to the Surrey sub- 
urbs. 

‘ ‘ Boys, ’ ’ said Gaily, ‘ ^ now we ’re wedged in here, 
let’s keep on. We’ll land somewhere in the edge 
of the town, and we ’ll either miss being bombed al- 
together or hit something real hot. Most of these 
Huns come from the southeast anj^how.” 

To this the others easily agreed. While under 
water or ground the lights of the car were kept go- 
ing, and it was both amusing and strange to note 
how many, like themselves, were being carried 
anywhere, merely for the sake of present safety. 

As they emerged into more open spots, there 
broke on their ears a sudden roar of artillery, 
seemingly from a rise to the northwards, where, 
had daylight reigned, intermingling buildings and 
open spaces would have presented views of the 
city’s edges in that direction. Directly they 
darted into another long underground section, but 
not before they caught sight of blazing machine- 
guns high up in the air further out, while tremen- 


226 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


dous whizzing, whirring echoes came down as if 
from some high overhead tempest. 

‘^ThaUs the Zeps,^^ said Gaily excitedly. 
‘‘Ralph told me how they sound. Something like ; 
a plane, only much louder. Did you hear those 
rattling guns? Lucky the bullets did not hit our 
car while we were in the open. Hoowee ! ’ ’ 

“W^e’re out again. Ho\y dark everything is!’^ , 
This from Solly, then: “Yfhat^s that? By jing! 
Gaily, what is that 

From the anti-aircraft' guns on the height be- ; 
hind, the fusillade of firing was more furious than 
ever. But the immediate effect was almost di- ■ 
rectly overhead. All the boys, with many others, , 
were rushing from the car, now halted beside an : 
open platform. But what excited all was the sud- 
den aerial blaze far up in the heavens. 

It had begun with faint dots of light, as of punc- 
tures from some source below, then the dots in- ; 
creased to various blazing lights, that rapidly in- j 
creased until a bright cloud of living flame was I 


227 


DOWNING THE ZEPPELIN 

descending towards the earth. Down it came, 
while aerial balls of light darted to and fro, here 
I and there, from numerous explosives sent up to 
j illuminate the surroundings of the falling Zep- 
I pelin. 

By this time all our lads were out on the ground, 
having left the train at the overhead station, where 
the terminus of this branch of the Surrey division 
■ of the metropolitan subway ended. 

The scene was both weird and spectacular. 
Further towards the north faint shadows of sev- 
; eral aeroplanes were momentarily visible over 
the lights cast upward from the burning airship, 
i and the fire-balls and other illuminants still being 
sent up from various points below. 

The burning Zep had slanted under sundry night 
air currents towards a vacant area of open lots 
somewhat to the eastward from where our lads 
were. 

'‘I'm goin' right over there," cried Solly, mak- 
ing way with his burly form through the swaying, 


228 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

crowding mass of people, either disgorged from 
the train, or gathered in from the surrounding 
neighborhood. 

Finally the frame of the airship struck on the 
corner of an open shed, where was a brick yard, 
then tore along for a few rods, ripping down the 
high fence surrounding the yard. This halted it 
so that, with the last flare-up of the remnant of the 
gas envelopes, the frame settled earthwards, a 
gaunt, seething wreck of wires, metal framework 
and half smashed cars underneath. 

There were three of these cars, proving the Zep 
to be of unusual size. About that time Solly, with 
Trumbull a close second, reached the brick yard, 
struggled through the fence and, reaching the first , 
car, saw what looked like something living strug- 
gling amid the debris. The car, being of thin i 
metal, had not caught fire, though the surround- . 
ings of course must have been extremely hot. • 

Solly was about to jump headlong at a window a 
through which he could see something or some one I 
moving within. But Trumbull anticipated him | 


DOWNING THE ZEPPELIN 229 

by seizing a pole happening to be within his reach. 
With, this he drove against the shattered car, cav- 
ing in the window, and to the surprise of both a 
man’s head sagged out, hanging limply amid the 
half molten metal sheathing. 

^ ^ A man ! He ’s alive ! My Gawd ! What T1 we 
do?” 

Amid such cries from those immediately behind 
the two Jackies, neither Solly nor Trumbull hesi- 
tated for an instant. Dashing dextrously over 
and under and through the interstices between the 
still red-hot wire framework they reached in. 
Feeling a human frame and muscles there, they 
pulled forth a body, not stopping to see what or 
whom, and dragged it back through the same hot 
. strands of metal, scorching their clothing, and in 
t one or two places searing their flesh. 

I When they dropped it, exhausted themselves, it 
< collapsed to the earth and lay there, with its cloth- 
! ing half burned off, its hair and beard singed, its 
i flesh, what could be seen of it, blistered, and alto- 
gether a repulsive, not to say hideous, sight. 


230 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


Cally, Snoddy and others gathered in front 
stamped and patted out the sparks and dying 
flames. Outside of a few burns and ignited cloth- 
ing, all quickly extingaiished, the two lads were 
all right. But their victim, or rather the victim 
of the destroyed Zep, what and who was he I 
While the air-raiders had swung off towards 
the main part of the city, and there appeared to 
be no further cause for shelling the upper air in 
that quarter at least, darkness descended again. 
It became difficult to distinguish anything unless 
by touch. The red-hot ruins of the airship turned 
white, then gray as the heat decreased. One soli- ; i 
tary lantern was the only way the face of the! 
burned and dying Hun might be at all discerned.! 
About this time a stretcher was brought from thef 
station, the man placed on it and many willing|i 
hands conveyed it into the waiting-room. | 

The boys followed. When they reached the| 
place where he lay with a shabby gas-burner giv-J 
ing out some light, he was asking in low tones that 


DOWNING THE ZEPPELIN 231 

somehow suggested a hungry accent of undeniable 
Teuton flavor: 

^ ^ Who brought me here ? ’ ^ 

Trumbull and Solly at this instant pushed them- 
selves to the front. The man^s clothing was so 
badly frayed and burned as to be almost indis- 
tinguishable, yet there was gold braid on his coat 
collar. On his sleeves and the fragments left of 
the cap he had worn were the insignia of an officer. 

At sight of them his glazing eyes hardened, his 
labored breathing grew, strained. He wheezed as 
he strove to speak, while one arm, not yet quite 
helpless, was striving to point. Calthorp and the 
other boys also began crowding close, and the fee- 
ble gas-flame sputtered as if it, too, would go out. 

The dying man was repeating something that 
the others did not understand though they put 
their ea>rs close. A surgeon, who had been hastily 
brought in, now came up. At a glance he shook 
his head. The man was suffering intensely, yet 
he would not give in, but lay gasping, muttering. 


232 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

his eyes fixed on Trumbull and Solly, still saying 
to himself something unintelligible. But the sur- 
geon caught on and his lips framed a sneering, 
hostile smile. 

‘‘He means you two,’^ turning to Trumbull and 
Solly. “He^s cussing you out in his own way — 
Prussian-lil^e. Listen ! ’ ’ 

He drew them closer, closer to the dying wretch, 
whose stiffening lips kept framing what the sur- 
geon whisperingly repeated to the Jackies. 

“ ‘Englander — Amerikaner — schwein — 
schwein.’ Then he keeps cursing us all in high 
German, though I cannot understand it all.’’ 

But Trumbull and Solly, though comprehend- 
ing what the German meant, felt only saddened. 
Of what world use was there for this hellish hate 
against those who were only trying to show him, 
at the last, that compassion and pity which gener- 
ally rule a foeman’s heart when his enemy lies 
helpless f But the surgeon was disgusted. 

“What else can you expect, boys, from chaps 
that will brave the North Sea and our own de- 


DOWNING THE ZEPPELIN 


233 


fenses, just to destroy women and children, to 
burn their homes and then skip back home for an- 
other similar spree later on ’ 

He walked away, as did most of the others, for 
there was much excitement everywhere. But both 
Washy and Solly remained, even trying to bathe 
the man’s lips with cold water, which some one had 
brought. But with a last effort that must have 
shortened his already slipping hold on life, they 
heard him gasp under a final supreme effort: 
‘ ‘ Schwein ! Schwein-n ! ’ ’ 

The hateful eye-glare died away, the under jaw 
fell down in a prognathous gape, and the man was 
dead. 

The boys turned away, Gaily and Snoddy, like 
the surgeon, rather disgusted; while Trumbull 
and Solly somehow felt relieved, as if a weight 
were off their minds. 

^^Say, Washy,” said Solly at length, ‘^all Ger- 
mans aren ’t that way ! Lots of difference ’twixt 
that chap and poor old Yohn Koehler.” 

At this juncture up came the surgeon again. 


234 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


He had learned something, evidently, for he ap- 
proached our group of J ackies, saying : 

‘‘That chap yonder that wouldnT give in was a 
Prussian officer with a captain’s rank, but in the 
air service. There was only one Zep in this raid 
and some eighteen to twenty aeroplanes, mostly 
Taubes. This high-mucky-muck we got was in 
command of the whole. No wonder he wouldn’t 
give in ! They do say most of the officers in the 
Prussian service are built his way. ’ ’ 

The signs of air raiding by this time had all 
passed beyond the range of people in this part of 
the great city. Indeed, reports by wireless and 
’phone from various points satisfied all that the 
raid was over. Two planes had been brought 
down in the north and west of London, and the 
rest driven straggling back across the Channel 
and the Straits to their own bases. 

By this time it was long past the midnight hour. 
The fun, such as it was, had ‘^done its do,” as 
Solly versed it. Doubtless the folks at the Grand 
were beginning to wonder what had become of our 


DOWNING THE ZEPPELIN 


235 


Jackies — especially the one yclept Gaily, sur- 
named Buller. 

‘‘I move we all go home the quickest way we 
can,’’ suggested Washy. ‘‘I feel as if the old 
Boche we dragged out of that wreck had cussed 
all my good luck away. ’ ’ 

‘^Rats, Washy!” Solly was grinning broadly. 
‘^^Wait until we see Yohn again.” 


CHAPTER XIV 


OFF ON PATEOL AGAIN 

Squire Buller, liis daughter and Telfair were 
greatly relieved when the four Jackies returned. 
The others, after recovering from their own ad- 
ventures, waited up until a very late, or rather 
very early hour for tidings of the boys. They 
were on the point of going to bed when they noisily 
arrived. 

^‘What times, what times exclaimed the 
squire. ‘ * Marian, we should have remained safely 
at home. ’ ^ 

‘‘On the contrary, dad,’’ remarked Cally, “now 
that we have come through alive and safe we might 
as well take things easy. My ! If you could have 
seen all we did, you wouldn’t have missed it for 
anything ! ’ ’ 

“Bet you we had quite a time, too,” interposed 


236 


OFF ON PATROL AGAIN 


237 


Telly, and thereupon proceeded to relate all that 
had happened to himself and Marian, though pass- 
ing so lightly over his own part in shielding 
father and daughter from the bomb at Charing 
Cross that the squire interrupted with ; 

‘‘Tut, tut, sir! What did you do yourself after 
you and Marian nearly scared the life out of me, 
by that Drury Lane adventure? Won’t talk, eh? 
Well, lads, ITl tell you what he did. He managed 
to take Marian safely as far as Charing Cross, 
when one of those brutal planes began dropping 
bombs right overhead. About that time I ar- 
rived, being both scared and angry that my girl 
should be out in all this trouble. 

“I began abusing him — didn’t I, Telly? Then 
all at once bombing began. Telfair seized us both 
— didn’t he, Marian? I’m pretty strong yet, but 
he downed us both alongside one of those patrol 
boxes, she underneath, me atop of her. Then, as 
it I was not heavy enough, he planked himself on 
top of us both. There he lay holding us both, 
while the dreadful thing did its work. It dam- 


238 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

aged the box, and shrapnel rained about us, but 
when it was over and the infernal machine above 
liad gone somewhere else, he jumped up, pulled us 
both up, apologizing for what he had to do — you 
did apologize, didiiT you. Telly? No use in talk- 
ing, boys! My nephew might have been impru- 
dent in taking my daughter to Drury Lane, unbe- 
known to me; but, after all, he didn’t know there 
would be an air-raid — did you. Telly? On the 
whole he acted fine. I’m proud of him, and so is 
Marian. So must you be, Calthorp. I tell you 
what, lads, it’s pluck and presence of mind that 
counts in this horrible war against brutality and 
— and blood.” 

The squire had grown quite excited, but the oc- 
casion excused it. After Gaily and the other boys 
had pieced out a connected narration of their own 
adventures. Squire Duller was so enthused that 
he shook hands again all around and thanked his 
stars that all of them had come through so start- 
ling a night as well as they did. 

In allusion to the uncanny end of the Prussian 


OFF ON PATROL AGAIN 


239 


commander, he looked and expressed his disgust, 
though he owned up that : 

‘‘Those perverted Prussians, after all, are 
plucky enough. But iPs all misdirected, all 
damnably perverted. They’re trained and edu- 
cated to it. To the training they’ve had drummed 
into them, not only from the cradle, but from fa- 
ther to son, frightfulness is only frightful to them 
wlien it reacts on them to their own destruction, as 
it surely will, if there is a God in Heaven that looks 
down upon humankind. We must destroy it root 
and branch, though we have to imitate such fright- 
fulness, even while we detest it and the cursed 
system that erected such horrors into a nation- 
wide empire that is trying to make the world like 
unto itself.” 

After that, and feeling that the raids were prob- 
ably over, they all sought their beds, and wakened 
to a late breakfast and an eager perusal of the 
morning papers. 

While more than one plane had been brought 
down, the destruction of the great Zeppelin — one 


240 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

of a new and enlarged type — was featured as the 
crowning achievement. It was all over, after all, 
and little harm done except to the enemy — to those 
who willed these horrors, which they were only 
able to inflict upon helpless non-combatants. 

True to his prior intentions, Trumbull, mindful 
of his short, sweet reminder from Aline, sat him 
down that day, and while his companions roamed 
the city in search of further pleasure, he wrote to 
her, detailing the particulars of the air-raid and 
duly emphasizing the part taken by her brother. 
As to himself and those with him, he was plain 
enough in general, yet far from laying stress upon 
anything he might or might not have done in con- 
nection therewith. 

In conclusion he ventured to hope that, out of 
her good nature and pity for a lonely Jacky out 
on the high seas, warring against mostly unseen 
foes, she would occasionally write to him ; not per- 
haps as he deserved, but just as she really felt. 
Again he thanked her for remembering him — and 
closed. After that he felt vaguely better. Why? 


OFF ON PATROL AGAIN 


241 


He himself hardly knew, only he felt that knowing 
her had brought something vaguely, yet delight- 
fully new into his hitherto rather purposeless life. 

At any rate, he resolved to put such animus 
into his present pursuit that she w^ould, perhaps, 
take some pride in being his friend. Would she 
ever be more ? Here he got up, put on his cap, and 
went forth into Trafalgar Square, where the first 
thing he noticed was the tall column with the far- 
away figure of the old admiral at the top. 

^‘Lord knows,’’ he reflected, ‘H’ll never climb 
like he did ! But — I can at least hope to do as he 
advised his men to do — ” 

Here he paused, gazing unseeingly at the shape- 
less shrouded figures under which the Lions were 
hidden. Then he muttered: 

<< ‘England expects every man to do his duty.’ ” 
A pause : ^ ^ So does good old Uncle Sam. ’ ’ 

He picked his way across the Square, past the 
semi-deserted National Gallery, on up St. Mar- 
tyn’s Lane and so on to the British Museum, where 
he amused himself until nearly dinner time. 


242 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

Then he returned to the Grand, and listened to the 
other Jackies relate varied adventures of the day. 
They had taken in the Tower, the Bank of Eng- 
land, and so on, and were really getting half tired 
of the big city already. The squire and Marian 
had been calling on friends. 

‘^And where have you been?’^ inquired Ralph 
Buller, who, having reached town, was dutifully 
looking in on his father for dinner. 

‘‘Oh, I spent most of my day at the Museum. 
Great place, that 

Thus replied Trumbull, whom Ralph had ad- 
dressed. The young sergeant of artillery smiled, 
saying: 

“You will get over that, if you^re much in town. 
Dry place. But I suppose that much we do not 
care about has the flavor of novelty to you Amer- 
icans. When I was at Woolwich they sent me 
there a time or two to look up, some points in re- 
gard to artillery practice. I got what I was after, 
but the place bored me horribly. Say, Marian, 
let’s go to Her Majesty’s to-night.” 


OFF ON PATROL AGAIN 


243 


‘‘Her Majesty’s^’ is an old-time theater much 
affected by the Tommy officers on account of the 
up-to-date nature of its present run towards 
vaudeville. 

That night the boys scattered again, but were in 
early, for on the morrow they were to return to 
their Channel port by train. The squire and his 
family were gbing to remain ov^r a day or two 
longer. So was Calthorp. When the morning 
train bore our lads away, however, Cally wrung 
their hands reluctantly, saying : 

“Gives me the blues, fellows, to see you off. 
Whenever you’re in on furlough again, be sure and 
look us up. I ’ll be there if I can ; but if I can ’t, bet 
your life, I’ll like to know you’ve been there! I 
didn’t use to think I’d like the Yankees any too 
well, but I ’ve bally well changed my mind since I 
saw you chaps.” 

With Marian, Telfair’s departure was more 
acutely felt by both than either would have thought 
likely three days before. 

“I-do like you. Telly,” she said more than once. 


244 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


“You are more entertaining than Gaily, who is 
rude sometimes. And I never had a cousin before 
who was half as nice as you. ’ ' 

“Same here, Marian! After this bally war is 
over, I hope you and I will have lots of good times 
together. I mean for you and your father to see 
our Texas country one of these times. Good- 
by!” 

When the lads were at last together on the train 
leaving Waterloo Station, they all felt as do those 
who have suddenly parted from old and dear 
friends. But duty is duty. It was now for the 
misty and windy northern ocean again, with the 
perpetual and restless round of warship duties, 
catching meals as it were on the fly, ceaselessly 
watching the near and far horizon for signs of the 
enemy, taking or sending radios concerning ships 
in distress, ships sunk, with crews in open boats 
to rescue, and all the other nerve-wearing tasks 
that daily, even hourly, fall to the lot of the en- 
listed man. A wearing yet a healthy life, that 


U1<'J^' UN FATKOL AUAIN 245 

puts the blood in rapid circulation, tires one out, 
yet ever renews his strength, and finally makes a 
man out of half -grown lads from the flat, mid- west 
prairies and the smoky cities of our native land. 

The first person to welcome the returned Jackies 
when they climbed from the motor-boat up the 
sides of the Perry was Yohn, a wide smile on his 
good-natured face and an inextinguishable gsip 
in his strong, stubbj’" fingers. 

When he met Trumbull his homely face softened 
perceptibly and he declared : 

“Yohn glad see Herr Troombool back. Ha— 
wiegehts! Yohn— glad— glad— ” The poor fel- 
low was unable to rid himself of more broken Eng- 
lish. 

Trumbull began to realize that, in some way, he 
had become of vast importance to this queer, hon- 
est man anxious to prove to the Amerikaner his 
true feelings, and his one desire to get back once 
more to his American home ; that is, if he had a 
home anywhere. Certainly that home was not in 


246 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

Germany, where he had been conscripted, dragged 
aboard strange under-sea craft and made to do 
many things repugnant to his feelings. 

‘ ‘ 1 have had my doubts, ’ ’ Trumbull often said, 
“of finding a Boche that has real true human feel- 
ings, but Yohn has ’em. I have hopes of German 
nature mainly through him. But what a deal of 
washing most of ’em will have to undergo ! ” 

That night, on the top of the ebb, the Perry left 
her anchorage, fully refitted, revictualled and oth- 
erwise primed for an active cruise. For two hours 
or so they deviously threaded many buoyed and 
staked channels, which were often guarded by hid- 
den mines, and, further out, piloted by grim trawl- ! 
ers, motor craft of dun, half invisible hues, until j 

I 

far out beyond the furthest lights and islands the ! 
trim destroyer was left to her own devices. ' 

Leaving the bridge at last for a short while 
Commander Bevens went below and opened his 
sealed instructions, given him that morning by 
the aid of the American admiral when the time ! 
came for Bevens to leave for his own ship. : 


OFF ON PATROL AGAIN 


247 


He had breakfasted with his own chief in the 
latter ’s cabin, where also was the Port Admiral of 
that great British Naval Station, and had been 
complimented highly for having, on his maiden 
trip to the war zone, destroyed a German raider 
and captured a submarine after her own men had 
tried to sink her. Also, in addition, there had 
been mention of the rescued freighters Arabia and 
Batavia, piloting them to the convoy and other- 
wise showing to the world that Uncle Sam’s ships 
and sailors were fully capable of doing their bit at 
all times, seasons and under strange stars, even 
as of old. 

At leaving the admiral had said, when shaking 
hands : 

^^Most of your crew are fresh-water lads, I un- 
derstand. When you go home, captain, as I hope 
you will, I want you to impress upon the folks who 
live back there, far from sea, that we easterners 
need more of that kind of sea aid. You do things ; 
and doing things is the only way to end this war.” 

Although it was about time for the ship’s bugle 


248 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

to sound taps, Bevens summoned Holworth and a 
few of the higher officers to his tiny stateroom. 

He read them the instructions he had opened, 
and desired them to summon all who could be 
spared from duty. 

^‘Let the men gather under the bridge. I want 
to say a word to them, if you think it advisable. ’ ’ 

So the bugle, instead of taps, sounded out the 
general call to quarters. In a surprisingly short 
time all the men but a lookout or two were there, 
peering up at the shadowy group of officers above. 
Bevens stepped forward. 

‘‘Men,’^ he began, am calling you up at this 
unusual hour to tell you some good news fresh 
from the admiral. First he wished me to thank all ; 
of you for doing upon your first cruise in the war 
zone what some ships have not succeeded in doing J 
after several cruises. Second, he understands i 
that most of you are from the mid-west of our \ 
country — fresh-water lads. If that is so, he wants \ 
more of you from that region. Hot that salt-wa- | 
ter boys are inferior in sea duties to you, but that 


OFF ON PATROL AGAIN 


249 


luck or pluck or sheer persistence has served you 
so well that he thinks it would be good if the whole 
navy, were more saturated with the same indomit- 
able qualities. When you go home— if the Bodies 
permit you to return, which I think they will, for 
theydl have to in the end — he wants you to bring 
back more recruits as near like yourselves as you 
can. It means, in a word, good luck; and good 
luck, good pluck, and more of a ^go-for-them’ 
spirit, is what the navy cannot have too much of. 

‘‘As to this cruise we^re on, I cann(?t tell you 
many of its objects now. But I can promise you 
there will be lots of bold chances for every Jacky 
of you to do like you did before, and if possible 
more so. Understand 

A general murmur of half grinning approval 
told the commander they did, and were ready for 
him. 

To bed after that, with night watches all set and 
in working shape. Four hour stretches, as be- 
fore, did not leave much leisure time for young 
Jackies to worry about home and mother, or what 


250 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

they would do when their next leave would be 
granted. One thing was noted, however. When 
the Perry changed its course after gaining suf- 
ficient seaway, the bow was turned eastward, in- 
stead of to the west, where their previous patrol- 
ling had been done. 

‘‘Ever hear what they did with Mohr and 
Sprouse!^’ injected Billy from his seat at the 
breech of the big bow gun where he and several 
Jackies on watch had gathered for the time 
being. 

Around them the short choppy waves of the 
Channel sparkled and foamed, while far to the 
south a dim gray shadow probably indicated an 
approach toward^ the coast of France. Now and 
then a wireless either came in or was sent out, 
usually from some vessel on patrol’ duty, or it 
might be from whatever port or parts for which 
the destroyer was supposed to be bound. Billy 
spat profusely overboard when our group that had 
been together in London expressed their curiosity. 

“Ye know they was took aboard the admiral o’ 


OFF ON PATROL AGAIN 


251 


the convoy. Case was clear agTn ^em. Two 
dirty spies — that was what Mohr and Sprouse was, 
’specially Mohr. Sprouse I always thought was 
more t’other chap’s pal, drawn into devilment by 
Mohr, than by his own inventions.” 

‘‘What did they do with them, anyhow?” some- 
one asked. 

‘ ‘ Slapped ’em both in jail soon as we landed. I 
hears they will be sent to the United States pro- 
vided them Britishers don’t find that they’ve been 
into things over here. Anyhow, we’re not likely 
to be troubled with them on the Perry any more. 
Good riddance, I say ! ’ ’ 

This was the general sentiment all around. 

The night wore on, with the destroyer steaming 
steadily eastward, all the time keeping a sharp 
lookout for possible submarines or any other en- 
emy craft, for the Channel was by no means free 
from these pests. Yet the Allied patrol there was 
probably more etfective than anywhere else, owing 
to the streams of Allied traffic constantly going 
back and forth between the Channel ports. 


252 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

Towards morning a motor craft crept towards 
the Perry from the south, probably out of Dieppe 
or Boulogne. Signals were exchanged, when the 
craft swept out of sight in the fog. The deck 
quartermaster made his way to the bridge, where 
Holworth was on watch. The two consulted a 
moment, then they sent for Commander Bevens 
who, waked from his nap and already dressed, 
hurried out. Shortly thereafter the Perry was 
headed straight for Dover, where she arrived soon 
after sunrise. 

Right after breakfast Bevens had himself taken 
over to the port flagship where he remained for 
perhaps an hour. Meantime Trumbull and 
Truesby, lounging during their off watch, saw a 
motor-boat approaching from a British destroyer 
moored near. What was their surprise and pleas- 
ure to see Calthorp Buller in the bow. He was 
gesturing at the boys profusely, and when the boat 
sheered in to the ladder over-side, Cally sprang 
nimbly up on deck. 


CHAPTER XV 


VOLUNTEERS FOR SUBMARINE E 

‘ ^ Say, ain T this great ! ’ ^ was Gaily ^s first greet- 
ing to the boys while shaking hands. ‘ ‘ After you 
fellows left I got lonesome. Dad tried to cheer 
me up. No go! ’Long came a chap who was a 
friend of dad’s. Real gritty fellow he was. Has 
a sub called E — something; but they won’t tell the 
numbers to everybody. The yarns he told dad, 
though, made me want to try the subs for a while. 
That night I got after dad — he has influence with 
the Admiralty. Argued back and forth, until this 
man volunteered that he ’d be glad to have me ’long 
with him. Well, they put their heads together 
and — ^what d’ye think f” Gaily appeared to swell 
in size with self-satisfaction. 

think you must be some sailor lad. Gaily,” 
grinned Telfair jauntily. 

253 


254 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


‘‘You’re all right, son!” was Trumbull’s re- 
joinder. “Go on! What are we to think, any- 
how?” 

“You might think this, ’ ’ laughed Gaily. ‘ ‘ First 
I ’m here, ain ’t I ? Why should I be here when, as 
ye knew, I was billeted for one of them big cruis- 
ers that stays way up north at the fleet’s base? 
What dad and the man did at the Admiralty I 
don’t know, but they got me detailed to the de- 
stroyer section, and I’m on yonder boat,” pointing 
to the British ship he had just left. “But that 
ain’t the best, or the worst, as you might happen 
to think.”' 

“Well, go on, slow coach ! How’d you get down 
here ahead of us, for we left the city first?” This 
from Truesby. 

“I got down here by train next day, after dad 
visited the Admiralty. I was assigned, and had 
to leave at once. But there’s more coming.” 

“Oh, well, spit it out, son!” remarked Solly, 
who had joined the group and shaken hands with 
the English lad. ‘ ‘ I didn ’t know you British went 


VOLUNTEERS FOR SUBMARINE E 255 

long on submarinos anyhow, excopt to sink ’em, 
somehow.’^ 

‘‘Lots of things you don’t know, Solly, about 
us British. Yes, we have a picked force of subs, 

I mostly for North Sea service, where German de- 
I stroyers are thickest and German bases handy to 
be nosed into. Well, there’s a boat near here now, 
and they’ll be wantin’ an increase of crew. She’s 
a sub, and no Boche about her, either ! You might 
as well know now that when she comes our way for 
volunteers. Cal Buller will be about the first one 
to change his berth to an under-sea craft, see?” 

By this time it dawmed upon the Yankee lads 
that their English comrade was practically a sub- 
marine volunteer, for so perilous was the service 
, now deemed that only willing volunteers were ac- 
I cepted. That is, volunteers from other branches 
of the naval service. 

They were equally disposed to congratulate him 
upon his nerve, and to sympathize with him over 
the dangers he might encounter. Still after all 
there was something attractive about it to these 


256 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


boys, filled with patriotic daring and also keen to 
know the ins and outs of any branch of modern 
naval warfare, into which their own experience 
had given them but little insight. 

The motor-boat had gone on upon other mat- 
ters but was to return for Cally in the afternoon. 
All were rejoiced that his visit would include the 
noon meal, and that, being in port, they might get ^ 
shore leave, or at worst have more time at their 
own disposal than when out on a cruise. 

Cally was about to draw Truesby aside when 
Solly approached with Snodgrass and boldly asked 
if there would be any likelihood that this accommo- i 
dating sub commander vrould accept volunteers ! 
from the American fleet, provided such offered j 
themselves. 

‘‘W-e-ell,^^ Cally was deliberately surprised, 
‘‘they might. They do say weVe never refused 
volunteers from anywhere, provided such Jackies 
were all right and had duly authorized permission 
from their own superiors. But — what are you up 
to, Solly r’ 


VOLUNTEERS FOR SUBMARINE E 257 

Nothing much. Only, if we had a chance, we 
might volunteer. I think our commander would 
consent, provided he had the right to do so. He’s 
a strange sort of man anyhow ; does what he thinks 
is right, whether it ;jibes with red-tape serv- 
ice rules or not. We all have noticed that in 
him.” 

Gaily turned to Snoddy, asking : 

^ ^ Are you in on this thing too ? ’ ’ 

Snoddy nodded, being given to few words un- 
less necessary, merely stating : 

‘‘We may have subs of our own soon. It might 
be a good thing to learn the first wrinkles while 
we have a chance. ’ ’ 

“You bet!” confirmed Solly. “One thing I’d 
like about a sub is that when you feel seaS(ick, and 
the sea is rough, you can go down and stay down, 
at least while you ’re eatin ’ — eh 1 ’ ’ 

They all laughed at this, and Solly and his pal 
turned away, leaving the English lad and Telly to 
themselves. Gaily smiled whimsically as he re- 
garded his cousin. Finally he said : 


258 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


“Ain^t anxious to volunteer yourself, are jeV’ 
Truesby shook his head, adding : 

‘‘N-no. Not just now, anyhow. Cap Bevens 
would grow suspicious. He^d think all his Jack- 
ies wanted to desert to the British. Guess ITl 
stick to the Perry a while longer. But, Cal, will 
your sub captain and friend be willing 

“Zowie! He willing? Bet your boots ! Truth 
is, he is often short of hands. He is a risky, ex- 
perimental sort of chap, is Commander Norwood. 
Always trying to do things after his own fashion. 
Why, one time, when on one of his twelve-day 
cruises he ran right into Zeebrugge, torpedoed a 
Belgian relief ship, loaded with grub your folks 
had sent to the Belgians and which the Boches con- 
fiscated, being rather short on eatables at the time. 
Norwood knew of this; thought it would be a ■ 
good thing to do. If Belgium couldn’t get it, the I 
Huns shouldn’t either. There were Boche de- ; 
stroyers all around, but he managed to sneak in j 
through the mines, do his job, and sneak out, leav- i 


ing a lot of disgusted, hungry Teutons behind. I 


VOLUNTEERS FOR SUBMARINE E 259 

Oh, it was great! That^s the kind of man I’m 
going with. But that wasn’t what I wanted to tell 
you. Here’s a note from Marian. She thought 
I might run across you somewhere, for dad got a 
tip, after you left, that the Ferry, in view of her 
success in the Atlantic on her maiden trip, might 
do good things where they’re most needed — that 
is, in the North Sea and along where the Hun 
submarine bases are.” 

Presently he ran away with some of the other 
lads. Telfair opened the note and read. It was 
to Gaily, with a sealed one to Truesby inside. 

‘‘Dear Calthorp: — I thought I’d write you, for 
you may be going on dangerous business and be 
where we cannot reach you by the usual methods. 

1 Dad seems glumpy now you are gone. So am I ; 

I but we rejoice in knowing that you are doing your 
! bit as our son and brother should do. If it is with 
a submarine you go, I tremble. It is so danger- 
ous! Take as good care of yourself as you can: 
come back to us when you may, and remember you 


260 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

are always dear to those who love you so 

well. 

^‘Marian. 

‘‘P. S. I am enclosing just a line for Mr. 
Truesby. Since that horrible bombing affair, I 
have felt more and more deeply the manly way 
that he acted in protecting dad and me at his own 
possible risk. Please give him this note.’’ 

The note was a small sealed affair, that Gaily 
had eyed with a knowing smile when he handed 
both to Telfair whose bronzed face had flushed as 
he recognized the handwriting. 

‘^You see,” said the English Jacky later, ^^that 
you are already one of Marian’s favorites. I sup- 
pose I am another one. She never writes to boys 
unless she feels as if they were worth writing to. | 
Did you read both ? Don ’t tell me what she says, I 
for I pretty well know already. ’ ’ i 

He frolicsomely patted Telly’s shoulder and ;! 
hurried away to meet an officer in uniform who j 
some of the boys announced was in port with his J 


VOLUNTEERS FOR SUBMARINE E 261 

sub, after a round up the east coast towards Yar- 
mouth. ' 

* ‘ Gee ! ^ ^ one of them concluded. ‘ ^ I ’d like to go 
with him. Wouldn^t it bo jolly well worth while 
to lick the Bodies in one of the kind of boats they 
think they’re so cursed handy with — sinkinV de- 
stroyin’, raisin’ hell with generally?” 

Meantime Telfair reached a secluded nook be- 
hind the forward bow gun, now shrouded under 
tarpaulins after a fresh coat of rust varnish. 
When he opened the note the delicate scent of 
heliotrope met his nostrils, vividly reminding him 
of the same odor he scented while spreading him- 
self above the girl and her father upon that event- 
ful London night. Of course it must have be- 
longed to Marian. By no means could he have 
associated it with her father, although the old 
squire was between him and the girl. 

^‘Dear Mr. Truesby,” it began. “You may 
think me forward — I hardly know. But, some- 
how, now that you are going away into the thick 
of this horrid war, I simply desired to let you 


262 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

know that you and your friends are still with us 
— if not in body, at least in kindly remembrance. 
We know not who will live to return. We can 
only hope, and have faith. That you will do what 
is your duty, I know full well. Have you not 
proved it already? When you have a chance do 
not hesitate to write. Even you cannot know how 
we who have to remain at home long for news from 
our dear ones. Be good to yourself, take care of 
yourself and come back — if you can. If not — 
what am I saying? — I can go no further. Your 
true friend, Marian Buller.’^ 

Y/liat a sweet, what an enigmatic letter! Tel- 
fair’s pulses thrilled softly as he stowed it in an 
inner pocket — next his heart. 

For an hour his frank young face bore a 
thoughtful, retrospective aspect. But the time 
was not favorable for other than a resolve to an- 
swer this unlooked for, most welcome reminder 
that he, though far from his own home, had al- 
ready endeared himself in some measure to these 
kindly English kinsfolk. 


VOLUNTEERS FOR SUBMARINE E 263 

]\ieanwliile Gaily, with the other hoys, was mak- 
ing free with the open, cordial hospitality of the 
Americans. Other Jackies also came on board. 
The scenes in the harbor of the Straits city were 
also animated and martial. 

Quite a section of the British Channel squadron 
happened to he anchored here and there, while 
ever and anon some destroyer or patrol boat 
would enter or leave, unostentatiously yet swiftly, 
silently, as if upon a dangerous and mysterious 
journey bound; while the radios from here, there, 
almost everywhere, came and went, unseen, un- 
heard, yet pregnant with matter that was vital, 
more or less, to all this gathered concourse of ves- 
sels from many widely diverse places. 

On shore trains were arriving, departing, while 
hotels were thronged, mostly with people con- 
nected with the war. The commander of the sub- 
marine had been quite busy aboard the Perry. 
Bevens knew him and when Gaily, along with Solly 
and Snodgrass, asked to see him privately, he took 
them aside. 


264 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

‘^Now, CalthorpU^ said he, ‘‘with you it is all 
right. You’re a British sailor. But as to pick- 
ing volunteers from aboard an American ship, 
that’s different. Whoever goes with me will have 
to go where most of you won’t want to be. It’s 
dangerous. I can get all I want out of pur own 
vessels.” 

“Now, sir, that don’t count with me! You^re 
dad’s friend, ain’t you? Well, most of the com- 
fort I’ll have with you will be in taking with me 
one or two lads I know. Friends of my folks. 
What’s the odds if they are Americans? Isn’t it 
time that Uncle Sam and Johnny Bull tied up 
thicker than ever ? ” 

So winning was Gaily ’s way and somehow so 
convincing were his arguments that the Britisher 
hesitated. 

“See here, sir.” Gaily proceeded to clinch his 
argument by adducing the parts played by these 
same boys when that submarine was taken and 
how. Finally Gommander Norwood surren- 
dered. 


VOLUNTEERS FOR SUBMARINE E 265 

^ ^ I T1 take two from the Perry but no more. ^ ’ 

Here two more Jackies came in. One of them 
presented a note from Commander Bevens who 
had to go on shore or, so he stated in the note, he 
would have brought them himself. ‘^But if you 
are going to take any of my lads, be sure you take 
these two.^’ 

These two were Trumbull and Truesby, who 
brought the note. Norwood glanced at Cal thorp 
Buller, and a sly smile wreathed his lips. Said 
he: 

‘^What is this? A conspiracy? What did I 
say, Calthorp? Two and no more.^^ 

‘‘But, captain, these two last ones are also in 
the same squad! If you take my two and leave 
these, there T1 be the deuce to pay. The squad will 
be broken up. When a squad is broken up, half 
of the desire to tight is gone. YouTe after 
fighters, arenT you?^^ 

Norwood nodded, then laughed good-naturedly 
as the unique grounds upon which Cally was bas- 
ing his persuasions filtered into his sense of hu- 


266 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


mor as well as fairness. He walked to and fro a 
moment, finally halting before the Jackies. 

You are all about right, I guess. But we have 
plenty of English lads who will break their heads 
to get into danger, too.^’ He glanced at the note 
from B evens again. 

Your commander gives all of you high praise, 
and I know Captain Bevens. What he says, he 
means. How soon can you be ready to leave 
herer^ 

‘^We are ready right now, sir,’’ said Trumbull. 
‘‘Two minutes to pack our kits and — there you 
are, sir!” 

“Oh, well!” Trumbull’s reply evidently pleased 
him, “you needn’t be in quite such a hurry. My 
launch will be at the pier in front of the Dover Ho- 
tel at nine sharp to-night. Can all of you be 
there I ’ ’ 

A chorus of assent met this. Directly there- 
after Norwood saluted and vanished, each Jacky 
raising his hand to his temple as he left. 

Cally proceeded to execute the preliminary 


VOLUNTEERS FOR SUBMARINE E 267 

steps to an Irisli jig, at the same time the door 
reopened and the sub commander stood at the por- 
tal. Instantly the jig stopped, and once more the 
boys saluted. 

neglected to say that you lads must keep a 
close tongue. II any one asks you anything as to 
what you^re up to or where you’re going, mum’s 
the word. If I hear any of you are talking, the 
jig’s up insofar as you four are concerned. We’ll 
be back in twelve days, if noLsooner. We may not 
come back at all — understand ? ’ ’ 

Then out he went, this time to remain. They 
heard his rapid steps leading to the gangway. In 
another minute the motor-launch was heard chu- 
chu-chuing across the harbor. 

‘'Say, boys,” whispered Telly, “we ought to 
have Billy Rains with us, just for luck. Ain’t it 
a pity Billy won’t be along? The way he’ll rear 
and pitch when he learns what’s up will be a cau- 
tion!” 


CHAPTER XVI 


ON BOARD THE E , AND OFF WHERE? 

After the day off viewing and modestly partici- 
pating in the sights and pleasures of Dover, five 
Jackies, bearing their kits, stood at the pier head 
before the old-time hostelry known as the Dover 
House shortly before nine that night They had 
recklessly dined at the hotel, in the stately old- 
fashioned room, where some of them imagined 
that Dickens, Thackeray, and the more nautical 
Marryatt must have dined and wined many years 
ago. Snodgrass in particular was addicted to 
Captain Marryatt and his Midshipman Easy. To 
him the place was, in a measure, hallowed ground. 
Often, on the wind-swept ridges of his Kansas 
prairie home, he had imagined himself upon the 
decks of the old-time frigates that were, in a way, 
symbolical of their modem prototypes, the de- 
stroyers. True, the frigates were larger and more 


268 


ON BOARD THE E 


269 


stately, yet they were the scouts of the old-time 
fleets of merchantmen that were convoyed by 
them, with perhaps a battleship or two, equally 
symbolical of the modern cruiser or dreadnaught. 

As the hour approached, they began to wonder 
more acutely than ever what kind of quarters they 

would have on the E , the submarine that 

would be their home for a few days at least. That 
is, if they were lucky, and were not strafed or 
sunk by some predatory Boche destroyer or 
cruiser. Trumbull permitted himself to imagine 
what would become of them in case such should 
happen. It did not look healthy, to say the least. 

^^Time that launch was here,’’ fidgeted Calthorp 
at last. ‘‘Suppose — ” 

But the supposition died before utterance, as a 
wheezing motor and a dim wraith were evolved 
suddenly from the gray mist that swathed the 
inner harbor. Few lights were visible, and along 
the dark water front reigned silence, broken only 
just then by the approaching thuds of the nearing 
launch. 


270 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


Back of them, where the town straggled upward 
towards the chalk cliffs towering darkly landward, 
could be heard the heterogeneous rumble that sig- 
nifies the night life of a busy seaside port. Fur- 
ther southward, towards the straits, long piers 
with T-like terminals flattened themselves mistily 
upon the water, now nearly at flood tide. 

There was a flight of steps towards which the 
launch was veering, all but a few of which were 
submerged by the rising flood. Alongside of these 
the launch, a ,tiny affair, drew up. Even the 
Perry^s launch was much larger. But subma- 
rines, that have to economize space before all else, 
cannot afford much in the way of boating space. 

Two forms sat at the stern, and one of these ris- 
ing, flung a line at the group of Jackies and a 
muffled voice called : 

‘ ‘ Look sharp — you ! Catch that line ! ^ ^ 

Cally, in front, caught the line, threw it over a 
post and as the tide swung the boat sideways at 
the steps, he checked it by taking a loop over 
the top of the post. 


ON BOARD THE E 


271 


‘^Thought you were never coming — ’’ began 
Gaily, but was stopped by: 

‘‘Tighten that rope — ^you! Now — step aboard! 
Lively ! ^ ’ 

There was something sharp, metallic, yet low 
about the utterance, as of some one more used to 
silent obedience than to querulous quibblings. Of 
course there was nothing else to do, under the 
peculiar circumstances, but to obey. 

Four of the Jackies, shouldering their kits, 
obeyed, leaving Gaily at the post, line in hand. He 
paused hesitatingly. 

‘ ‘ Gast off — you ! ^ ’ This peremptorily from the 
launch’s stern. 

Unlooping the line, Gaily jumped aboard at the 
bow, and sat down on the forward thwart, dump- 
ing his kit at his feet, while neatly coiling the line, 
a maneuver the personage in the stern noted, by 
adding : 

“ Right-0 ! Goil that line, then step aft.” 

Obeying, what was Gaily ’s surprise to note that 
the speaker, apparently the launch’s coxswain, was 


272 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

not steering, but was seated beside some one who 
held the tiller, and was muffled up to the eyes, for 
the night air was already chilly and growing 
colder. 

‘ ‘ Sit down — you ! ’ ^ This not gruffly, but merely 
as a matter-of-course order from a superior, on 
board ship. Still there was something familiar 
to Calthorp about the muffled figure, even in the 
darkness. Moreover, that voice. Though before 
this the lad had heard it only in friendly accents, 
there was a ring in it suggestive of something that 
was more peremptorily audible to-night. But 
Cally was shrewd. If it was Lieutenant Com- 
mander Norwood, who had that day shown such 
unusual favor to his requests as regarded his com- 
panions, surely it was best to let the commander 
take his own time to unveil — identify himself. So 
down he sat, with merely an obedient: ‘^Aye, 
aye, sir!’’ 

Nothing further was said while the launch glided 
swiftly on the flood towards the outer harbor, 
where at length it veered in the direction of a 


ON BOARD THE E 


273 


short, high, stone dock thrust out from under 
frowning clitfs that presently sloped more slowly 
towards the rim of the straits. 

This dock while high, thick, strong, made evi- 
dently to combat rough seas that in high winds 
buffeted along this angle of the coast, was curv- 
ing smoothly at the outer end, half enclosing an 
area of water kept smooth by its interposition to- 
wards the open sea. 

Around this curve sped the launch, drawing up 
suddenly alongside a dim long oval, out of which 
rose a short conning tower, with an open hatch 
just behind. 

One lone sailor, rifle in hand, stood behind the 
iron shield of the tower and at sight of the launch 
he saluted. All this dimly in the darkness, for 
about the dim oval of the hull and the tower it- 
self no lights were visible. 

The launch swung gently alongside a sloping 
iron ladder that followed the curve of the hull to 
which it was somehow lashed. 

^^All off,’’ said the muffled form, leading the 


274 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

way up the few ladder rounds now visible, and 
made for the open hatch, the Jackies following. 
Trumbull, being last, caught sight of another 
hatch opening beyond, that doubtless was where 
the launch was to be stowed snugly away. He also 
took note of the probable, length of the hull now 
visible, and averaging the total dimensions by 
what he had heard and read of submarines half 

submerged, came to the conclusion that the E 

was quite a sizable boat, considered in the light of 
modern submersibles, insofar as he could judge. 

<<Why, she’s longer than the Perry he re- 
flected. ‘^But it is all like a new world to me at 
present.” 

Down the hatch they went, slowly, carefully, for 
the ladder was steep, the steel walls close, and 
their kits rather cumbersome. Then another 
pause in a small closet of a room, wherein was 
another sailor clad in waterproofs, who was pol- 
ishing a brass binnacle of peculiar shape with sev- 
eral small metal wheels, ranged contiguously, each 
being lettered unintelligibly, at least to the curi- 


ON BOARD THE E 


275 


ous Jackies as they passed. Then another ladder 
that led down into the bowels of the sub, where the 
air was more close, and electric lights showed a 
multiplicity of complex and strange machinery on 
ev^ery hand. Dimly visible were long tube-like 
structures that must be for torpedoes fore and aft, 
with strange looking, elongated tanks here and 
there, doubtless storage tanks for oil and other 
requirements for making the sub do what it was 
intended to do. 

This room or compartment was large, long, and 
inconceivably tight, yet it seemed somehow to 
suggest a constant tendency towards dampness, 
closeness and a general scarcity of fresh air. Just 
below this were the engines, wonderfully compact, 
with all their accompaniments, yet fully competent 
to do their appointed work. Here and there 
among the various machinery were members of 
the crew, mostly in oilskins, each at some ap- 
pointed task for which each evinced complete fa- 
miliarity. Little attention was shown the Jackies, 
who were conducted aft through a short, narrow 


276 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


passage into an infinitesimal compartment divided 
into two sections, either of which was. too small 
for a man to stand in the center and turn around 
with arms horizontally extended. 

The muffled man now turned on another electric 
light that made everything near as bright as day, 
then smiled round at the group as he raised his 
headgear and said, in his old cordial tones : 

^^Well, lads, where did you think we were going 
when we left the Dover House landing? Right 
out to sea ? ’ ’ He smiled more broadly than ever. 

‘ ‘ Didn ^t know, sir, ’ ’ remarked Gaily, finding his 
former notion as to who this muffled one was to 
be correct. ^‘But, wherever we’re going, we’re i 
it! You’ve been awfully good to us. We know \ 
little about subs, but we’ll do the best we can ' 
where you put us. ” 

‘‘That sounds all right. Here are your quar- i 
ters,” vaguely gesturing round. | 

“You mean both these — these — ” Telly indi- I 
cated both rooms, or closets. I 


ON BOARD THE E 


277 


‘^No, no ! This front one is mine. It is shared 
by Ensign Hodges, my second in command. 
We’re seldom both in here together. Lucky, isn’t 
it? There are five of you boys. You will find 
that it isn ’t often more than two of you will share 
this apartment at the same time. You lads are 
busy on the destroyers, but you are even more so 
on a sub.” 

‘‘Where do the others sleep?” asked Trumbull, 
from sheer curiosity. 

“Oh, anj^here. Our cruises seldom last more 
than from ten to fifteen days. They bunk right 
down among their machinery. The engineers and 
assistants lay on the fuel oil tanks, or anywhere. 
When ashore they catch up. Mr. Sawyer and his 
assistants had a room at the Dover. I think they 
slept most of the time, waking up now and then 
to eat and see folks. We’ve had .a good rest and 
all are chipper as a nest of young sparrows.” 

The boys slung their kits, and hung up two ham- 
mocks in the cramped space, still leaving room for 


278 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


one on the floor and another on one storage tank 
that was charged with sulphuric acid though they 
did not know it. 

Meantime Norwood had vanished after telling 
the boys to report to Ensign Hodges, and was busy 
seeing that an early start was made. Five min- 
utes later, Telly and Washy, reporting to the 
second officer, and being put to certain insignifii- 
cant yet essential tasks, heard their commander 
say to his second in command : 

“Mr. Hodges, our air scouts have just reported 
to the Division Commander that two cruisers and 
one of the old-style battleships are in the harbor 
at Z not much over a mile inside the shore bat- 

teries and other defenses of that port. I just saw 
the admiral, and we’re in great luck. We’re to 
take our sub and go for ’em. If we start now, 
right away, we’ll get there by to-morrow night’s 
flood tide. What d’ye think the admiral said 
then? Won ’re in great shape to make a noise in 
the world, Norwood. The sooner you get off the 
better. ’ So off I went ! ’ ’ 


ON BOARD THE E- 


279 


^‘We’re a little short of hands — began the 
cautious Hodges. 

‘‘Pshaw! WeTl get oif at once. Lucky I got 
those lads from the Americans. They wanted to 
go, and Bevens encouraged ’em. Come — let’s be 
off before they can signal for us to return. You 
know they’re good at that. Don’t seem to want to 
trust the subs. In the face of what the Fritzies 
are doing in that line, we ought to get a move on 
right away.” 

While each of our Jackies was being assigned 
to certain duties, overlooked the while by others 
more technically competent, though by no means 

more willing, the E dropped away from her 

moorings. Her propellers began to work and 
presently, being clear of the stone dock, she was 
heading straight for the open straits, being about 
half or two-thirds submerged, with all lights out, 
and remaining purposely blind to possible signals 
from the shore. 

Still Norwood was nervous, glancing back 
astern. Often before he had been sent out on 


180 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

emergency orders, only to be called back, some- 
times by the time liis hawsers were cast loose. 
Down he went tixst to the helmsman. 

^‘Look here, Swazer,’^ said the commander to 
the same man whom the American lads first saw 
polishing the binnacle. ‘^You’re from Belgium, 
aren T you f ^ ’ 

^‘Yess, your honor. The helmsman spoke re- 
spectfully with but small trace of his Flanders 
accent. ‘‘I from Ostend — yess.’’ 

^‘You don’t like the Germans much, do you?” 

A scowl of hate darkened his tanned face as he 
shook his head vindictively. 

^^Well, we’re going to a — a Belgian port, I 
think. You know it well.” 

Here Norwood leaned forward and whispered a 
name, whereat the helmsman nodded, then whis- 
pered back : 

born near there — yah! I serve on trawler 
from there long before war. Then I make self 
pilot. Yah, m’sieu! I know that place well, too 
well. My bruder, two sisters leef dere. Cher- 


ON BOARD THE E 


281 


mann keel bruder, make slave of sisters. Don’t 
know where they are now. ’ ’ 

“Well, you keep a sharp lookout. You may 
see that port shortly. If we reach where I want 
to get, you have another chance to get even with 
the Bodies — see?” He patted the helmsman’s 
shoulder. “But it will largely depend on you. 
You know the joort. The ticklish point is to get 
just where we can use up a moldy or two {moldy is 
sea slang for torpedo) in just the right way. 
You may thank your stars that you can help even 
up the score you owe those Huns. Look sharp! 
I was in fear they might signal us back, but I guess 
we are safe at last.” 

Swazer was gripping the wheel now, his stolid 
face set with a grim determination that assured 
Norwood he would do his part in a way that no 
fault could be found with it or him. 

And now, being fairly launched upon his sudden 
enterprise, Norwood realized that, with all its pos- 
sibilities, it was no amateur’s job upon which the 
^ , had been dispatched. Three healthy war- 


282 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


ships were to be destroyed, all of them inside the 
enemy 'S harbor defenses. Moreover, this was 
.also a submarine base. They might have to con- 
tend with the much vaunted U-boats themselves. 
Norwood knew these harbor defenses. The Brit- 
ish intelligence office had furnished the subma- 
rine divisions with maps of them. They were 
not impregnable, but were dangerous. He figured 

that the E had air-storage and provisions for 

two weeks or more. There was fuel enough for 
four hundred miles, at the surface, with “juice” 
enough stored in the undersea batteries for a sub- 
merged run of many hours, all that would be 
needed. 

They were turning tail on the Allied fleet for a 
direct run of probably one hundred to one hundred 
and fifty miles, mostly through hostile waters. 

Also they were in nearly as great danger from 
British and Allied submarines and destroyers as 
from those of the enemy. The engines were set 
for a speed of twelve knots per hour. After think- 
ing things over, Norwood turned over the craft to 


ON BOARD THE E- 


283 


his assistant, Hodges, then went below and ac- 
quainted the crew in general with v/hat was up. 
They seemed vastly tickled, especially Gaily and 
the American Jackies. 

‘AY hoopoe! ^Ye’ro it, aren’t we? Git along, 
Joe! — I’m Such and many other pat ex- 

clamations hurtled through the hollow interior of 

the E and the sounds somehow cheered the 

commander wonderfully. At any rate his men 
and officers were heartily with him in the raid. 
As to efficiency, so interested were they in their 
duties that a hot bearing on this trip would mean 
disgrace and severe reprimand to the one guilty. 

Right out past the Dogger Banks and along 
the coast, at a safe distance out, was the outlined 
course. Careful were they also to avoid regions 
where their own mines were known to be laid. 
And so the day passed, the speed gradually less- 
ening towards night. 

About sun-down Hodges reported an aeroplane 
to leeward. Norwood examined it through binoc- 
ulars, small as an eagle or vulture that often 


284 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


specks the clouded skies, especially since the 
battle-strewn plains to the southward have become 
so plentiful. 

don’t like to use up juice at this stage of the 
game,” remarked the commander. ‘‘But there’s 
no use risking discovery now. Dive to ten 
fathoms, Hodges. Wee’ll run along underneath 
for an hour.” 

The gyroscope compass enabled them to hold 
to that course as accurately as if at the surface. 

Once the men on watch at the bell receiver re- 
ported the sounds of ship’s propellers directly 
overhead. Norwood turned over the w'heel to 
Hodges and listened himself. Then he blew the 
main ballast tank enough to stick the periscope 
slightly out of water, and had a look out himself. 

It was an eight thousand ton battle cruiser, as 
nice a target as possible. Norwood recognized 
her as belonging to the British squadron along the 
coast, but her lookouts evidently did not see the 
periscope. Slacking up, when far enough away so 
that she could hardly hurt them, he fired their pri- 


ON BOARD THE E- 


285 


vate signal for that date. The cruiser replied cor- 
rectly. Secure in the certainty that she was a 
friend, the sub proceeded to speed up along the 
surface again. 

‘‘Vot we needs now, sir, ess rain or fog, and eet 
looks now as if we might get it.’^ 

This from Helmsman Swazer, as some of the 
Jackies passed him at his post. They were Amer- 
icans, and the Belgians feel very kindly towards 
Americans, in view of the Belgian Commission 
that has been feeding their starving nation so 
freely. Night came. Norwood made all who 
could be spared get what sleep they might while 
sleep was possible. Finally, about one or two in 
the morning, Adolph announced that they were otf 
Z harbor. 

The mouth was nearly two miles wide. They 

had little fear of artificial obstructions, for Z 

was so far along the coast that no prior raiding 
allies had hitherto attempted anything like what 
was now being tried. Still there was a bar at 
the entrance that at high tide had about seven 


286 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

fathoms. Our sub needed at least twenty feet to 
be submerged. Not much margin there, but still 
enough. Another danger was that in such shal- 
low water suction might drag the boat down to the 
hard gravel bottom, causing a rebound that might 
bring them to the surface. There were no rocks 
about, which was lucky. High tide was due about 
the first dawn. Patiently they waited, submerged 
at a discreet distance outside the bar. The last 
glimpse from the periscope showed no incoming 
vessel. Owing to the rigid blockade but few 
would attempt this except, of course, enemy subs 
or other war vessels. 

It seemed as if daylight would never begin to 
show. They were possibly a good mile from the 
forts that guarded the entrance. Before they 
dove the last time Norwood, aiding Swazer, 
straightened out the course by the compass. 
When very near to the bar, they raised until the 
manometer showed hardly twelve feet of water 
above; twelve feet only, to hide them from the 


ON BOARD THE E- — 


287 


sharp lookouts in the forts, or any airplane that 
might be hovering up in the air. 

They were moving along cautiously at about 
four knots when suddenly a heavy jar threw a 
number of men from their feet, among them Solly 
and Trumbull. Norwood, gripping the rail 
around the compass, felt the too familiar scrape, 
scrape of the hull against the gravelly bottom. 
They were on the bar, and the dreaded suction was 
at -work. At a signal the diving rudder man gave 
a flip to the regulating wheel. Swazer pulled a 
cord, and full speed ahead was on with an upward 
slope. This meant that probably the periscope 
would show, but there was no other way. The 
American Jackies, startled, yet game, were on the 
alert, ready with their parts when word or signal 
should be given. 


CHAPTER XVII 


THE UNDERSEA RAID 

No one knew better than Norwood that now he 
must take his chance or be further sucked down 
into the sandy, gravelly bottom, and thus lose fur- 
ther hope of bagging their prey. Up came the 
periscope, just sufficiently for him to get a quick 
look about. Nothing as yet could he see distinctly, 
though the dawn was breaking rapidly. A reverse 
signal. 

Then down they went again. So far not a shot 
had been fired, yet it was almost certain that the 
lookouts at the forts must have seen something. 
It must be rapid, accurate work now for the 
next time they split the surface there might be tons 
of high explosives churning the waters round 
them. Norwood was now alive with suppressed 
eagerness. He darted from helmsman to engine 
room, ordering, encouraging, rebuking, holding 


288 


THE UNDERSEA RAID 


289 


himself in, seeing that each part of this subtle un- 
der-water mechanism was doing its task — on time. 

The engines throbbed and racked. They were 
now making top speed, having passed the bar, 
submerged always, and with yet a mile to go be- 
fore they would be where the warships were re- 
ported as lying. Would they be moved after the 
alarm the forts must have given? If they were 
the E — ^ — would be worse than defeated. Only 
hope remained with them — crew and all, for the 
tenseness of the situation was now supreme on 
board. If they failed, the job undone, who would 
want to return with no result to report? 

All was now ready. The torpedoes were in 
their tubes — four big, stealthy instruments of de- 
struction if they were rightly directed. It now 
only remained to come up, sight the enemy, and 
— let drive. 

Again the E porpoised to the surface. 

Norwood's eyes were glued to the periscope. 
Eight there, on their port, hardly a hundred and 
fifty yards away, lay a large gray cruiser, stern 


290 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

aslant and moored to a wliarf. Midstream on 
the starboard swung another, lighter, of an older 
type. A few rods upstream, directly ahead, was 
the battleship, also of an older type. She was 
swinging sidewise for the tide was on the turn. 

Round about lay a flat country, half veiled in 
mist and drizzly sleet. Still further above lay 
the town, as yet invisible to sight, though its 
muffied noise drifted sleepily down, inaudible to 
those on the sub. The harbor, being roomy, the 
sea w^as choppy under the wind, which added to 
the chances of success. Again they submerged. 

‘^Now, boys,’’ half wRispered Norwood, in sibi- 
lant accents, ‘‘there are officers on the deck of 
that midstream cruiser. Be ready — wdien I say 
the word.” 

“Ready — ^you bet!” This from Gaily helping 
about the first torpedo. 

Had they yet been seen! Norw^ood hoped not. 
Quickly he instructed Sw^azer, who sharply turned 
and drove along a certain course. The com- 
mander had picked a point just forward of amid- 


THE UNDERSEA RAID 


291 


ships, knowing that the officers on deck were still 
reading the signals from the forts. He drove 
straight for the starboard side of the bigger 
cruiser, his hand on the toggle of the valve. The 
angle of sighting had been taken and he was 
ready to turn loose at three hundred yards. For 
the last time they porpoised. Some one on the 
warship had seen them at last. The distance scale 
read three hundred and forty yards. The wires 
of tlie periscope were on the middle funnel of the 
cruiser. A seaman waved his cap, running to- 
wards the officers. Then the commander jerked 
at the valve. A loud hiss of air and a surging 
rush of water outside. The missile was at last 
fairly launched. 

‘‘Down!’’ The order came sharp, imperative, 
yet not loud. 

UVithout waiting to see what happened the 

E was off again, with helm hard a starboard 

for the lighter cruiser out at anchor in mid-chan- 
nel. She was partly stern to, owing to the ebbing 
tide. The men below were jubilant. 


292 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


^‘Didn’t you hear that muffled shock? asked 
Telly from the base of the torpedo tube, the one 
that would probably be used next. ‘‘Sounded 
queer.” 

Others had heard a shock of some kind. All 
knew that the torpedo at this short range could 
hardly have failed to reached the mark. 

And now across the harbor they plowed, aim- 
ing to come up again to the starboard of the 
cruiser. One thing they had in their favor. 
Their helmsman, Swazer, was as familiar with 
the various water depths here as one would be 
with the surface of his o^vn back yard. 

Said Norwood; 

“They will probably expect us on the quarter 
towards the ship we have just struck. It gives us 
a bare chance to fool them — see?” 

‘ ‘ I see, sir, ’ ’ replied Adolph. ‘ ‘ And I know the 
waters over yan. ’ ’ 

“Another thing, Swazer. If we approach that 
cruiser from that side, it will screen us from the 
battleship upstream. To make the matter more 


THE UNDERSEA RAID 


293 


sure, I have instructed Hodges to cast loose 
our dummy periscope. That may deceive them 
into thinking we are attacking on the hear side of 
this second ship.^’ Swazer was nodding approval 
as Norwood hastened to the conning tower to see 
that Hodges had attended to the matter in hand. 

All at once the muffled sound of guns broke 
loose. Telly and Cally, both busy at their ap- 
pointed tasks, broke into derisive laughter. 

‘^Hush, lads,^’ remonstrated Norwood, hurrying 
by, as he returned. ‘^This game isn’t played 
yet.” 

The boys respectfully sobered, but the con- 
tagion of their mirth found sundry echoes among 
the crew, discreetly veiled however, for Com- 
mander Norwood was one to be respectfully de- 
ferred to when things were happening. 

Said Trumbull, who was also helping with the 
next torpedo : 

‘^No laughing in that sound for me. Boys, if 
we get out of this alive, we’ll be lucky. Com- 
mander Norwood is right.” 


294 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


Shucks!’’ This from Snodgrass. ^^What 
makes me want to laugh just now is what my folks 
at home would think if they could see me. Old 

Jonah’s Bible tale wouldn’t be in it with the E . 

Boys, I’m skeered right now!” 

But he did not look it or act it ; nor did any of 
those lads, just as eager for adventure here as 
they were at home. Nor did Gaily, the young 
Britisher. He squinted at Solly, hurrying by with 
a ship’s mop to sop up some greasy leaks under 
the main hatch, and was about to shout when an 
order rang along for the E' to porpoise again. 

‘^Oh Lord!” Gaily ejaculated. ‘^What bally 
thing ’ll be next I ’ ’ 

He hurried on to his task, which was connected 
with rudder adjustment under the experienced 
eyes of a severe taskmaster, one of Sawyer’s as- 
sistants. So, they porpoised” as the navy slang 
is for a submarine emerging. 

Nearly four hundred yards to starboard of the 
second cruiser now. In obedience to Norwood’s 
command, Swazer headed straight for this ship’s 


THE UNDERSEA RAID 


295 


bows. On board they were still so busy firing aft 
at the dummy periscope with the port guns, that 
they had not got their starboard guns into action 
when the second torpedo was launched, and the 
E was agaih safe near the bottom. 

This time the explosion thundered in a long 
drawn out roar. It shook the submarine. What 
did that mean ? 

To Commander Norwood, keenly alert, it meant 
1 that the last torpedo must have hit so near the 
I magazine that it, too, must have gone up. There 
was no laughter below now, although nearly sixty 
feet of water lay between them and the agitated 
surface above. 

Something of the horror of such proceedings 
seemed to have filtered into the minds of all. It 
i was war ; but a rotten method of war at that. Yet, 
in view of Hun atrocities going on broadcast over 
the sea upon peaceful merchant ships, a war which 
had made certain horrid reprisals on the part of 
the Allies apparently the only way to strike home 
i to the foe what such warfare means. 


296 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


‘‘Yes, it is a rotten war, and the Boches have 
made it rottener.- What you goin’ to do with such 
savages!'^ This from Solly in the intervals of 
mopping the damp steel floors. 

What next? They had bagged two of the 

enemy. The few lives on board the E were 

of little importance against those already sent " 
to their last reckoning, yet Norwood felt that they 
could not afford to waste another submarine. 
Still he would ask the crew. Rushing down 
amongst them, he spoke loudly. 

“My men, we have got two of them. There’s 
a battleship making ready to fire a few hundred 
yards upstream. Shall we go for her?” 

“Yes — you bet your boots!” This from Tel- 
fair Truesby, who' by now seemed to be alive with • 
the fever of fight; the fever inherited from his 
old father, the old-style shipping master of Galves- 
ton, U. S. A. “What are we waiting for?” 

“Hush — you!” growled Norwood, sternly. ; 
“You are plucky, but you don’t know. Boys,” v 
to all generally, “we may get that third one, but j 


THE UNDERSEA RAID 


297 


it lessens our chance to make a good get- 
away. ^ ’ 

‘‘Go for her 

“Let^s try, sir!’’ 

“Sink the bloomin’ battleship says we!” 

These and other exclamations were the answer. 
With a smile that was almost solemn the com- 
mander returned to his station. 

By this time the helmsman had brought the 

E about and headed up the harbor. Again 

the periscope was allowed to peep above the 
choppy waves. Norwood felt that his nerves were 
dead. He was hardened to almost anything now. 
The blunt assurances that his men were still with 
him was the last tug pulling him to the ultimate 
performance of his appointed duty. 

“Steady, Swazer!” he ordered. “I have the 
range. ’ ’ 

“Aye, aye, sir — yess!” The helmsman’s face 
was grim. “I point her — right.” 

By this time Norwood’s hand was again on the 
toggle valve, very steady now. He peered forth 


298 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


again. The battleship was lowering boats to as- 
sist the men in the waters around the blown-up 
ships. Drawing a long breath, he began to pull 
the cord. Then — there came a terrific crash. 

What had happened? The E , again sub- 

merged, went rolling, staggering towards the bot- 
tom of the harbor. Norwood, braced unsteadily ' 
on his perch in the conning tower was throwm to 
the deck, and landed with Swazer against the steel 
side of the submarine. The shock was momentar- 
ily sickening. Next thing he knew Hodges was 
bending over him, while the helmsman, though 
rather groggy, was again at his post. Norwmod 
heard the hiss of air through the vent of the mani- 
fold. 

‘^Sawyer, with one of those Yankee lads, is let- 
ting water into our ballast tanks,’’ said the lieu- j 
tenant. ‘Ht’s to keep us down. They got our . 
periscope, I think; but the torpedo went just the ^ 
same. And we hit her, too.” ■ 

This last was what he was thinking of. * 

The fact that they might not again see the gleam i 


THE UNDERSEA RAID 


299 


of sunlight on blue water was not worrying 
Hodges at all. Norwood braced up. There 
might be a chance yet. He would at once make 
the most of it. 

Later he learned that two destroyers, entering 
the harbor about the time the second cruiser was 
sunk, had sighted them during the third torpedo 
effort. They began firing and hence the shock oc- 
casioned by nearby exploding shells. But had 
thejT^ sunk the battleship? Not exactly, but had 
injured her so that she was run ashore. 

Meantime they lay on the bottom sixty feet 
down, while Norwood took account of casualties. 
One of the crew had an ugly gash on the head from 
being thrown against a steel stanchion; another 
had a broken finger. 

Moreover, the E was practically blind inso- 

far as outside eyesight was concerned. They 
must steer by compass, relying much on the 
familiarity of Swazer with the ins and outs of 
the harbor and inlet. They must also run as 
j fast as possible, for the Bodies would probably 


300 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 
drop depth bombs and interpose artificial bar- 
riers. 

By now the E was making top speed, sub- 

merged and taking many chances, as it were, on 
the fly. Suddenly, when several hundred yards 
yet from the bar, there came another violent jar 
accompanied by the grinding of steel. The motors ' 
went dead. There was a sudden rush of waters : 
from the battery compartment into the living 
quarters. : 

‘ ^ Dog dovTi ze doors ! ^ V This from Swazer, who i 
would have slowed down speed had they been at j 
the bar. ^^Queek!’’ So urgent was the necessity j 
for haste that he did not wait for higher orders. 

Knowing what all this meant, the crew, our t 
lads among them, closed and dogged down the | 
doors to the battery room to keep the further in- | 
flow of water out. 

But it did not need a prophet for all to know 
that they were in a terribly bad way. Whatever 
the primary cause, the deadliest enemy of the sub- ^ 
marine was now fighting against them. J 


THE UNDERSEA RAID 


301 


They had no knowledge of the cause of the shock 
but supposed — at least those more acquainted with 
port and harbor warfare did — that iron girders, 
chains or other obstructions had been lowered 

since the E first came in. The destroyers, 

knowing other channels, had dodged these upon 
their entrance or perhaps had done the trick 
themselves. 

The salt water coming in contact with the sul- 
phuric acid of the batte^ries was generating 
chlorine gas. The boys already felt it at their 
throats, as yet hardly realizing the deadly effects 
that might ensue. Swazer had muffled his face 
and stuck manfully at the steering gear. Saw- 
yer below was coughing and his men were half 
choked. Norwood and Hodges, also closely muf- 
fled, began to look white and purplish. Fifteen 
minutes, even ten, and things might all be over. 
But what a quarter of an hour it would be ! The 
torture might stretch to seeming infinitude. Al- 
ready the lining of their throats was beginning to 
tickle painfully. Trumbull, not anticipating an 


302 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

end like this, mentally said a prayer, and with it 
came a swift vision of his last glimpse of Aline 
Truesby at their parting. Telfair was already 
clutching at his throat. Solly was cursing — in- 
side ; none dared open their mouths. To Snoddy, 
the Kansan, came imaginary whiffs of the open 
prairie breezes, as he stood shaking, gasping, yet 
still unafraid. Oh — any sort of death might be 
preferable to this ! 

No porpoising this time. Both Hodges and ] 
Norwood resolved, on the instant, to go up and ; 

stay up, until enemy shells should send the E \ 

back to the bottom once for all. Simultaneously 1 
their eyes met, Hodges with his hand upon the ex- 
pelling transmitter connected with the valves that 

emptied the tanks. The E a moment later 

was up, well awash. Instantly the surface motors 
were thrumming away. Both Hodges and Nor- \ 
wood had already opened the hatches, while Saw- | 
yer started the electric fans to blowing the chlorine 
out. From the conning tower the commander, 
looking astern, could see the masts of the two , 


THE UNDERSEA RAID 303 

cruisers sticking out of the water. The battle- 
ship had a bad list. But the forts were now fully 
awake, and already shelling them and rapidly get- 
ting the range. 

One big shell plunged into the water almost 
alongside, and a huge roller caused by the under- 
sea explosion almost knocked the commander out 
of the conning tower and sent Hodges reeling. 
Swazer, still grimly steering, had lashed himself 
to his station, knowing well that the only chance 
now" was to show the fastest pair of heels the 

E was capable of. There came a second one 

from the opposite fort. Trumbull, recklessly 
pushing his head through the still open hatch, was. 
knocked flat. Telly hauled him out of the way. 
After that the hatch was kept only partially 
open. 

Solly and Snoddy were helping to trim the boat 
by assisting the men whose business was with the 
w"ater tanks and the bailing apparatus. 

Sw^azer, still strapped to the wheel, his head 
dowm between his shoulders, smiled grimly as he 


304 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

recalled the fleeting glimpse he had caught of 
the sunken cruisers and the disabled battleship. 
Already they were half way across the bar when 
a third shell exploded. 

The foe was excited, of course, and for a won- 
der the last explosion did less harm than the 

first and still the E forged on. In the rear 

the two destroyers were racing along behind as 
if they might catch up before the sub succeeded in 
placing the bar behind. 

Meantime the crew, assisted by the Americans 
and Cally, were heaving overboard the batteries 
that held sulphuric acid. Already the interior, 
where the fans still operated, was now reasonably 
free from the deadly fumes of chlorine. After 

all the E did not present a very big target. 

"Would good luck still favor them I Fervently all 
hoped— and the hope kept growing. 

Finally the hatches were slammed dovm. The 
Boche guns, getting the range, nearly overset the 

E when a fourth shell partially lifted her as 

it exploded off the quarter. But Swazer, recover- 


THE UNDERSEA RAID 305 

ing liis equilibrium, said a word to Norwood, who 
was picking himself up from the floor. 

‘‘Ofer at last, sir!’’ He chuckled. ‘^Dey haf 
not got us yet.” 

Norwood, his hand on the diving rudder, gave a 

modulated pull. The E gently submerged 

just as a shell from one of the destroyers hit the 
sea behind and gave those on board a final shock. 
But no apparent harm was done. Do^vn, down 
they dove while busy sailors were looking for pos- 
sible leaks. 

Finally Norwood said to his assistant, ‘^We’re 
more than a hundred feet doAvn. Look at the 
indicator. Let them bang away !” 

‘^Nor will their airplanes see us at this depth,” 
rejoined Hodges. ’Dolph, we owe this mostly 
to you. Lucky you kne.w so well just where we 
were all of the time.” 

Swazer, chuckling to himself, delivered this 
parting shot at his enemies behind, as he said: 

‘^Zem Ghermans be no good — no good at all! 
I glad we got zem warships — yah!” 


306 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


A mile further the E nosed along, close to 

the bottom. At last, she came to rest where the 
waters over her were ample protection from even 
the biggest depth bombs. There they rested and 
slept undisturbed the best they could. Had the 

foe known that the E had lost its batteries, 

it is likely they might have gotten these venture- 
some ones. As it was they probably shelled, 
dragged the bottom and otherwise amused them- 
selves, while the daring took the rest they needed. 

Night came and up they rose, steaming at a sur- 
face rate of twelve knots, yet fearful lest one of 
their own sea-slugs or destroyers might get them, 

finishing the E , yet ignorant of that which 

they were doing. 


CHAPTEE XVni 

ON BOARD THE PERRY AGAIN 

Good luck held with them, however, until when 
daylight broke, misty, drizzly, the atmosphere 
darkly opaque, what should Norwood see but the 
flashing swoop of a destroyer gradually evolving 
from the darkness. 

^‘Hodges, come here!’^ Sharply the command 
was delivered. ''Is— is that a German boat? I 
cannot tell. ’ ^ 

"Hardly,’’ remarked his lieutenant, hurrying 
to the conning tower. "Where are my glasses? 
Get them, you! Go to my bunk!” 

This to Snodgrass who happened to be nearest. 
Meantime Gaily, who al^o had risen, his own 
binoculars handy, proffered them to the officers. 

Through the glasses they studied the nearing 
craft, still uncertain, when Trumbull came up 
from the engine room with a message; saying: 


307 


308 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


‘^Mr. Sawyer wants one of you down in the 
engine room a minute, sir. Something’s w^rong 
with the petrol supply.” 

Hodges went without a word, while Trumbull 
for the first time noticed the nearing yessel, now 

plainly visible, though in the half light the E 

must have shown to the other as a mere flat blur 
through the just breaking dawn. Trumhull was 
exceedingly sharp-eyed, and he had a retentive 
memory. What did that stubby bluntness as of 
something broken off at the apex of the mizzen 
lookout top mean? Like a flash came to him the 
momentary panic that had afflicted himself and 
Telfair when a shell splinter from that now de- 
stroyed sea-raider had demolished the antenn® 
of the wireless on board the Perry, 

True, the incident was unimportant for the 
Perry could use her forward lookout for the same 
purpose. Another set of antennas had been in- 
stantly rigged up forward, even while the action 
was going on. The mizzen staff had remained in 
that mutilated state, interfering not at all with 


ON BOARD THE PERRY AGAIN 


309 


the destroyer’s efficiency. Norwood was just tak- 
ing down the glass, still perplexed. 

‘‘If you please, sir,” said Trumbull, “I think I 
know that ship. May I use Gaily ’s glass for a mo- 
ment?” 

Still thinking out his own problem, in case the' 
suspicious vessel proved to be hostile, Norwood 
absently passed Washy the glass. Scarcely had 
the lad gotten his eyes glued to the right focus than 
he ejaculated, loudly : 

“I suspected it. Who wee! Now I know it!” 

“Know what? And don’t be so assertive.” 
Norwood spoke rebukingly. 

“Beg pardon, sir. But that’s our ship, the 
FerryJ^ 

“The Perry? You’re crazy. Look out!” 
Norwood reached for the engine room tube. 
“What’s she doing now?” This last down the 
tube. 

“Petrol’s been leaking in forward tank, sir,” 
came from Savryer. “I doubt if we got enough to 
run us back to port.” 


BIO OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


Without noticing the engineer’s words, or so 
it seemed, Norwood shouted: 

^ ^ Tell Mr. Hodges to come up at once ! ’ ’ 
Meanwhile Trumbull, who by now was certain 
of his point, noted that the Perry was swinging 
her bow oft at a suspicious angle. 

‘‘Better signal, sir,” said he to the commander. 
“I think she has spotted us and is making ready 
to fire her bow gun. What will we do? AVe’re a 
sub and the Allies take no chances with subs. ’ ’ 

It w^as then that Hodges was called up. Mean- 
time the helmsman Swazer was preparing to sub- 
merge when he was astounded to hear Norwood 
ordering a flare to be sent up at once. In a trice 
it was shot otf from the forward hatch and break- 
ing high in air, showed the preconcerted colors 
adopted by general agreement among the Allies 
when national identity was in doubt. 

In a minute came an answering signal from the 
destroyer which, sheering aside, had drawn still 
nearer. No gun was fired, but the Perry was sus- 
picious. 


ON BOARD THE PERRY AGAIN 


311 


Hodges, having returned and been made ac- 
quainted with Trumbull’s discovery, said to Nor- 
wood : 

^‘1 will get out the launch and take these Jackies 
along as crew. I think the Perry people suspect 
something. They know the Huns are up to all 
kinds of tricks and wouldn’t stop at a thing like 
•this.” 

" ‘‘All right. Go ahead. We canilot megaphone 
at this distance and the wind against us.” 

So in a few minutes the launch having been 
hauled out of the fore compartment and slid over 
the side Hodges, followed by Trumbull, Gaily and 
Snodgrass, was going on board. The other lads 

pushed forward along the E ’5 deck, and 

seemed determined to go. Eventually they did. 
Gaily saying: 

“Gee! This beats my time. Washy. I didn’t 
know you had it in you. One sub-chaser looks 
so much like another that I never suspected.” 

In the meantime the Perry, instead of coming 
closer, made another signal flash, but in secret 


312 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

code. Fortunately Norwood was able to under- 
stand, and before the launch reached the Perry’s 
side, it was known on both the destroyer and the 
submarine just what and who each was. 

The water was rough and the Jackies, though 
pulling strongly, did not make rapid headway. 
AVhat was their surprise when the destroyer sud- 
denly veered towards them and fetched round with 
a graceful turn to starboard that brought the 
laboring launch almost alongside. 

The short gangway was lowered. At the foot 
stood Billy Rains, a fending pike in hand, who 
when he recognized the boys at the oars, nearly 
fell off in surprise. Above, on deck the officers 
on watch had gathered, while behind them, draw- 
ing on his sea-coat, came Commander Bevens. 
Lieutenant Holworth was on the bridge with 
Brewster, both being on duty. Bevens had been 
called as soon as the E flashed her first flare. 

While drawing near, Trumbull discerned the 
round, red face and broad smile of Yohn above the 


ON BOARD THE PERRY AGAIN 


313 


forward gunwale. Yohn waved a cap at his 
Jacky friend. 

‘'Well, ITl be swiggered!'' cried Rains, as he 
saluted Ensign Hodges, though his eyes were rov- 
ing over the squad of lads at the oars. “What do 
all this mean? Have ye all turned Boches and 
goin^ to torpedo your old boat?’’ 

Hodges having passed on. Rains turned his full 
attention upon the boys. 

“Well, say! Is marracles never goin’ to stop? 
You’re about the last bunch I reckoned on meetin’ 
up with, in this way, out here. Here — you ! ’ ’ 

This last to one of the wondering crew that 
were crowding to the side and staring, waving, 
calling to their young comrades below. One of 
the older sailors sprang forward, while Billy, 
pointing downward, said : 

“Get down there and watch that boat. I want 
the kids to come up and see us. Take this pike.” 

In a trice the man was over the side, pike in 
hand, while the. boys, grinning and greeting him 


314 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


as they passed, reached Rains who nearly wrung 
their fingers off as they emerged upon deck. 
They were enthusiastically received and soon, 
separating into groups, each was recounting to 
the gaping crew something of what they had gone 
through, together with the results. The crew’s 
interest increased. Hearty slaps, laughter, and 
an occasional hooray added to the excitement that 
was spreading; so much so, in fact, that those off 
watch came out from the rest spaces and joined 
in the general clamor. 

Bully for the Perry share in this scrap !” 

‘‘Wow! W^on’t Kaiser Bill cuss when he 
knows ! ’ ’ 

“Rah fer Johnny Bull and old Uncle Sam!” 

“Gosh — don’t I wish I’d been there!” 

“Three of ’em — bully!” 

And so the congratulatory chorus ran its 
spreading circles. 

Meantime Hodges, after going through his own 
more dignified yet not less sincere congratula- 
tions, described the present condition of the 


ON BOARD THE PERRY AGAIN 


315 


E , and the trouble about lack of petrol. 

Bevens was sincerely enthused. 

‘^Our ship^s yours, sir, for anything you need 
that weVe got. Excuse me, sir. I must really 
talk with my boys. 

He wrung Hodges’ hand, hurried off, and those 
on the bridge could see him gathering our Jackie^ 
about him, shaking hands, congratulating, im- 
pressing on all how he approved of them, even 
though the Perry and her crew had been unfor- 
; tunately out of it. 

‘‘Perhaps if we had been there to engage those 

destroyers, the E might have escaped the 

damage she did undergo. But it ’s all right, men. ’ ’ 
He faced the respectfully gathering crew. “lam 
■glad our British brothers have succeeded in pull- 
t ing off such a vital stunt right under the German 
i guns ; and I am proud that some of my own fresh- 
water boys were lucky enough to be in on it, too. 
^ Three cheers for the Union Jack and the Stars 
! and Stripes. Long may they wave together in a 
f cause like this ! ” 


316 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


Very democratic was Commander Bevens, yet 
none the less resolute and impartial when it came 
to discipline and duty. 

By now it was growing distinctly lighter. One 
of the orderlies, running up, touched his forelock 
and said : 

‘‘You^re wanted back on the bridge, sir. Look- 
out reports strange craft in sight, off east sou^- , 
east.” 

In the next minute Bevens gave orders to let 

the E have anything they needed in the line 

of fuel oil or anything else, then hurried to the 
bridge. About this time a radio had come in from 
the ship ahead in code. She proved to be one of 

the blockading ships from off the port of D , 

one of the Belgian towns now occupied by the Ger- 
mans. 

They had been driven to temporary shelter the 
day before by a storm of wind and sleet and sud- 
den lowering temperature, round a long, curved 
projection of land between D and O , an- 

other German base to the east. While here a 


ON BOAKD THE PERRY AGAIN 317 

wireless had come in during the night from one of 
the U-boat chasers, always scouting about, that 
a Boche warship, the MoUke they supposed, had 
put into O , disabled and was lying under pro- 

tection of certain shore batteries while repairing. 
The harbor was open, the situation of the be- 
leaguered ship insecure, and this blockader was 
then on the way to see if methods might not be 
found, under cover of night and fog, to capture or 
blow her up. Would the Americans help in the 
venture f 

Would they? Well, you bet! Were they not 
out at present under orders to sweep the seas for 
subs, mines, destroyers, or anything bigger of 
Boche extraction that might be cornered? If this 
Moltke had been disabled and cornered herself in 

0 , what more could the Perry people desire 

than to be considered in on such a heaven-or- 
dained chance? Heaven might look queer in such 
hellish company; but what was heaven for if not 
to overcome and dominate hell? And in the navy 
— both ours and Johnny BulBs — the only present 


318 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


earthly sjoionym for the infernal spheres was 
something that meant the enemy. 

Before the launch had left the side of the Perry 
the news of that radio had circulated among the 
crew after the mystic manner that such nows is 
apt to spread. Trumbull was the first of our 
squad to hear it. He was with Billy Rains. 

^‘Look here, kid,’^ said the gunner ^s mate, ‘H 
ain T selfish. You chaps have already kivered yer- 
selves with glory on yon sub. But why not smear 
a little more of the stuff on while ye have a 
chance 

^ ^ Just what I was thinking. ^ ’ Trumbull looked 
wisely at his superior. ‘‘The E has no bat- 

teries now and she ^s got to go in and refit. Y ou ’ve 
given us enough fuel to get us to port. The regu- 
lar crew can take her home. After all, our proper 
place is with our own ship, eh 

“Right you are as scripture itself! I reckon 
the capt’n wonT object.^’ 

On consultation with the other lads, all were 
similarly minded. 


ON BOARD THE PERRY AGAIN 319 

‘‘Say, boys, interjected Snoddy,“when I go 
back to Kansas I dl need all the glory yarns I can 
spin to even myself up with the home JPolks for 
sneakin^ otf to training station. You bet weTl 
go, if theyTl let us!^^ 

Meanwhile Hodges, now ready to return, was 
worrying because the Jackies, instead of being at 
their posts, were scattered here and there con- 
fabbing with others. Fuming, he w^ent to Com- 
mander Sevens, now back from the bridge and 
busy with orders concerning the sudden change. 
Three of our squad Jackies had come briskly up, 
saluted, and said that as they belonged on the 
Perry they would feel it deeply if they were not 
permitted to go upon this new raid. 

“Why, lads, you are the crew of that launch. 
You must take it back.’’ 

Just then Hodges., approaching, heard what 
Bevens said and remarked : 

“Y^ou are right, captain. We should be on our 
way back to the E .” 

Bevens nodded; but juM then Trumbull with 


320 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

Rains preceding him hurried up, saluted, and 
Rains began : 

^^Beg pardon, sir. But I’m still short on my 
best gun crew. If we ’re goin ’ all of a sudden into 
hot work, I’d like to have these Jackies back. 
Mr. Brewster thinks same way.” . 

This was camouflaging the exact truth a little, j 
for Rains had not yet spoken to the chief gunner ; | 

but Solly had, having met him on the port aft j 
quarter. Brewster had expressed himself as fav- 
orable, concluding with : | 

^Mf we’re liable for close, warm work inshore, 
we ’ll need all our men. ’ ’ 

Solly was now one of those present, and he 
nodded vigorously, having already imparted 
Brewster’s sentiments to Rains and others. i 

Trumbull turned to Hodges, touching his cap, 
and saying: 

^‘We will take the loaded launch back, sir. But 
I hope we will be permitted to return to our own 1 
ship, now that we’ll be needed.” ‘ 


ON BOARD THE PERRY AGAIN 


321 


Bevens shrugged his shoulders, regarded 
Hodges whimsically, and said, 

“You see how they feel, Mr. Hodges. If Com- 
mander Norwood is willing, I will take them back. 
Let them return with you and unload the launch. 
So long as Norwood was good enough to permit 
them to accompany him, I don^t feel that we ought 
to insist upon their return — now. We can pick 
them up again after our own return to port. But 
you see how they feel. After all, we Americans 
have done but little real fighting yet. I feel sure 
Admiral Sims himself will encourage us to do 
more, whenever we have a chance. If they are 
; to return you can wigwag us and we will send a 
i boat.’’ 

Hodges, sober at first, looked round at the Jack- 
ies, all of whom had gathered respectfully round, 
and he noted the eager expectancy on their faces 
; — faces of boys who had just emerged safely from 
I one desperate adventure, yet were even more 
I eager to go upon another ! The humor and pathos 


322 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

of it struck him forcibly. He laughed and waved 
his hand. 

‘^Boys/’ said he, ^‘you are all right! Come 
along! WeTl state the case to Commander Nor- 
wood, and I have no doubt he’ll wigwag your 
comrades to come after you. The rest of us can 
easily take back the E . ’ ’ 

Upon this decision, the growing crowd mani- \ 
fested approval by sundry cries of: 1 

Bully for you, sir!” 

‘ ^ He all right- 0 ! ” 

‘‘We’re fightin’ sons o’ guns; and s\) be you, 
sir!” 

Bevens shook hands with Hodges who, followed . ■ 
by our Jackies, was soon on the way back to the 

E , still wallowing in the sea trough near by. - 

Rains, hurrying by on urgent duties bent, met . 
Brewster, superintending a new adjustment of one 
of the waist guns : 

“Them Jackies I reckon be cornin’ back, ^ 
sir. ’ ’ 

“I hope so.” The chief gunner bit off a chew i 


ON BOARD THE PERRY AGAIN 323 

of tobacco. Never ought to have left. Hurts 
discipline. ’ ^ 

^‘Well, sir, I dunno. When I was younger you 
couldn ^t ’a ’ kep ’ me back. ’ ’ 

Billy, you always was a fool; but you^re a 
fighter, and — a — a gunner!’^ 

''Fightings our business, sir. Hit’s what them 
boys is here for. When they’re in for it and 
willin ’ I says let ’em go ! ” 

Brewster grinned, slapped Rains heartily on 
the back, and turned with redoubled diligence to 
his own work, remarking; 

‘‘By what I learn and by what’s going on here 
now, I guess you fighters’ll be accommodated 
soon.” 

Meantime all was activity on board the Perry. 
A new life seemed to be infused into the moods 
and bearing of all, from the commander on down. 
Radios were being exchanged still, and the pro- 
gram of the day rearranged. Eyes were turned 

now and then towards the E , and presently, 

instead of a signal to send a boat, the launch wa; 


324 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

seen returning apparently crowded with men. 
They reached the Ferry in short order; not only 
with the returning Jackies, and their kits, but a 
full set of oarsmen. Among the Jackies was Cal- 
thorp Buller, determined to remain with his new 
American friends. 

Back went the launch, the oarsmen waving 
humorous farewells. 

^‘We^ve had our bloomin’ share, lads,” sung 
out some one. ^^Me for the eats and a long sleep 
ashore!” 

‘‘When you’re through with that Fritzy 
blighter, all o’ you that’s left run in and let us 
know. If we’re there we’ll have more mugs of 
that ’arf-’nd-’arf you ain’t stuck on. Goo’ luck 
and damn th’ Boche!” 

They departed singing a North Sea chantey 
that floated back musically though unintelligibly. 

In another five minutes everything was stowed, 
the lookouts relieved by others and the destroyer 
had swung to port and was boiling away on a 
vest-so’-west course diagonally opposite from her 


ON BOARD THE PERRY AGAIN 


325 


heading when first seen by the submarine. Fur- 
ther wireless talk between the Perry and the block- 
ader had given the necessary instructions for the 
Perry to go upon. 

The day waned, and the fog continued, with the 
drizzle changing to sleet, then into snow. 

They had on board the latest charts of the 

waters otf 0 and when towards night they 

reached the offing, there was another destroyer 
and two U-boat chasers cruising leisurely, wait- 
ing for darkness to set. One of these last was the 
one with which they had exchanged radios. A 
British monitor was also anchored just mthout 
one of the narrow channels that must be used to 
enter the harbor. The coastline, now fading into 
hazy obscurity, was a mere slog^ of sand, beyond 
which lay the town giving the port its name. The 
Germans had batteries on shore, and — though this 
was not known — had erected a series of gauze wire 
screens, at least three between them and the moni- 
tor, which remained stationary mostly, being re- 
lieved now and then by other similar vessels. 


326 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

The MoUke, or whatever the ship \vas, had 
slipped in through a roundabout channel two or 
more miles to the westward and was now anchored 
nearly opposite to our rendezvous. 

The gauze screens were at such angles that to 
hit the nearest battery our shells must pass 
through the screens. Electrical timing devices 
indicated the length of time required for our shells 
to pass between these screens. The distance was 
already known. This would give the Boches the 
velocity of the shells when they reached the 
screens. The holes made in the gauze gave them 
three or more points in the curves. They could 
tell, also, from the explosion, the approximate 
size of such shells. With this data and by scien- 
tific figuring, they were enabled to tell with some 
accuracy just where the shells came from. Of 
course it was rather easy from the data and their 
calculations to land their return fire about where 
the Allied fire had probably come from. 

With true German efficiency they worked that 
system so that, no matter where the blockading 


ON BOARD THE PERRY AGAIN 327 

force moved in the night, the German shell fire 
sought them out and usually found them, at times 
with disastrous effect. To get at the disabled 
battleship, it was most essential to devise some 
way of passing through this range of shell fire in 
order to get in and accomplish their purpose. 
By ‘‘their’’ we mean the Allies — Belgian, British, 
and American. 

Only the previous night this monitor had moved 
in as usual, dropped a few high explosive shells 
at ship and protecting battery, and — while the 
night was pitch dark — had been so accurately 
shelled as to be compelled to move back out of 
range, as in the daytime. 

Consultations were held. It was determined 
that as previous raids had been ineffective, be- 
sides sinking one chaser and shattering two of the 
monitors, to try another plan. 

The other destroyer had managed to secure an 
old Flanders native, long used to slipping in and 

out of 0 port as a trawler. Yes, he would 

and could thread any of these treacherous chan- 


328 OUR JACKIES AVITH THE FLEET 

nels, now more or less strewn with mines at any 
time, day or night. 

^‘How about that channel two miles west — the 
one used by the warship herself, though dis- 
abled?’’ This query from Bevens, who had at 
once joined the council of war which was almost 
continuous since the recent rebuffs. 

‘‘Merci, monsieur!” The old man’s wrinkled 
face grimaced distastefully. ‘^Too mooch outa 
zee way. The Boche do not even fortify it with 
gun like the other. Eet is laid all with mines 
alone.” ' 

‘‘Do you know the channel, my friend?” j 
Bevens was gripping the old fellow’s hand in a j 
warm kindly clasp. 

“Yess, yess!” This in a loud whisper, inaudi- 
ble to the rest, however. “Me — I trusta Ameeri- j 
kan. My son, my chile — ” his voice almost broke, 
“he somwheer in Stat’s Unis now. I truss you — 
you ! ” 

He drew back and gazed appealingly at Bevens, 


ON BOARD THE PERRY AGAIN 


329 


hypnotized somehow by the handclasp first, then 
by the mesmeric friendliness that breathed itself 
from Bevens’ face; that is, whenever Bevens 
wanted it to appear. In a moment, upon hearing 
that the old trawler had a son somewhere in the 
United States Bevens, kindly beyond all the 
others, had so impressed the cautious old sea 
veteran that he surrendered at once. And yet 
for three years the Germans had never succeeded 
in extracting from him anything more than dis- 
trustful obedience. The British, suspicious more 
than friendly, had held him at such distance as to 
make him feel that, though they were allies, they 
were not personally so much friendly as con- 
temptuously tolerant. He was old, helpless, poor, 
only recently escaped from his native port to land 
among strangers rather than friends. And here 
was another ally, an American, who showed not 
merely tolerance, but real friendliness. 

The conference finally broke up, another raid 
being decided upon by the British as usual, but 


330 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

by a more easterly route. Bevens took the old 
man aboard the Ferry, feeling that here was ma- 
terial to be worked upon further. 

As they came up the side that old Belgian, more 
German than French in his language and look, 
followed deferentially, doffing his shabby cap to 
Ilolworth and the other officers. 

Two short lines of Jackies were drawn up on 
either side of the ladder on the deck. Behind 
them some of the others, off watch, included vari- 
ous helpers from the galleys, the engine room and 
so on. The old Belgian followed, cap in hand, 
half ducking his white head, yet glancing furtively 
about at the sailors, those at salute in front, with 
others behind, watching the return of their com- 
mander. Suddenly he was arrested by a face that 
he vaguely recognized. 

It was that of Yohn Koehler, now permitted 
complete freedom on board of the ship he still 
clung to, not unlike some rescued man to a life- 
boat. Not once had Yohn left the Ferry, even 
when in friendly ports. Diligent, faithful, he had 


ON BOARD THE PERRY AGAIN 


331 


gradually come to be tolerated by all, to be shown 
friendliness by many, and real appreciation by a 
few, at the head of whom was Trumbull. Even 
Commander Bevens noticed him in a haphazard 
way and he was happy. 

Y'ohn was looking now at Trumbull, who was 
one of the file' of Jackies at the gangway to re- 
ceive the commander. Right behind Bevens 
walked the old Belgian, half on tiptoe, as if in fear 
of giving oifense. 

But when he saw Yohn’s red face peering from 
behind one row of Jackies, his old eyes bulged. 
He choked, staggered, and would have fallen, but 
for Trumbull and Solly, who first noticed his un- 
usual agitation. 


CHAPTER XIX 


ONE MORE BLOW AT THE BOCHES 

The commander, not noticing this episode on 
the part of the old pilot, had gone aft towards 
his own quarters. When Trumbull and Solly had 
thus jumped to the old man’s aid, Yohn noticed 
the collapse of the new arrival. 

Something familiar in the angle of that aged 
face turned towards him gave the younger man 
a strange feeling, as of one suddenly jerked back- 
ward in memory through a wide abyss of years. 

The Belgian struggled up again, then holding 
out both arms, hungry hands twitching, he pulled 
from the Jackies and staggered towards the pock- 
marked fellow who was gazing perplexedly at 
him. 

‘ ^ Y ohn, Y ohn ! ” he gasped. * ‘ Don ’ — you know 
— me?” There followed a further flow of words 
in mongrel Flemish, the mixed dialect of that por- 


332 


ONE MORE BLOW AT THE BOCHES 333 

tion of Belgium which has been compounded with 
the Dutch tongue of Holland, also near to them. 
Watching Yohn’s face as this unusual scene went 
on, they saw him grow red, then pallid, then ex- 
citedly burst forth into a rapid fire of similar talk. 
AVhile talking, tears oozed from the eyes of both, 
until, as if by common impulse, they staggered 
into each other’s arms. 

^‘Well now!” exclaimed Billy Rains, passing 
at this juncture, and noticing with amused as- 
tonishment these singular proceedings. Damme 
if our Yohn ain’t found some one as knows him! 
Bully for you, Yohn ! Go to it, old man ! ’ ’ 

This, imparting a humorous flavor to what was 
really an affecting scene, turned the tables upon 
the tragedy of it and all on deck, including our 
Jackies, began to smile; yes, and laugh. 

^^Who is this, Yohn?” said Trumbull. Don’t 
keep your friends in the dark. ’ ’ 

Yohn turned, fairly blubbering gleefully to his 
new friend. ^‘Yah, yah. Me find fader — ^yes — 
fader ! Yohn believed fader dead long time. 


334 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


In Ameriki then. Ah — yah! Fader — fader — me 
find fader! Fader, he find sohn!^^ 

They embraced again with more unintelligible 
jargon. Finally the two were permitted to wan- 
der off towards the galley where much of YohiUs 
work was done. It came out finally That in his 
youth the old pilot, Jan or Yohn Koehler, had 
married a German girl in Flanders. She died in 
giving birth to our Yohn who, later, was much in 
west Germany, and from there migrated to Amer- 
ica, upon hearing somehow that his father was 
dead. Thus by accident of war these two were 
once more reunited. 

It joroved to be a good thing all round. Not 
only did the father agree to pilot the Perri/ 
through this western channel, but declared that 
ho also knew the lately mined region thereabouts, 
having been forced by the Germans not a month 
ago to relay and chart out the channel. Yohn, 
our Yohn, would aid his father on the bridge. 
Moreover, when on the Boche submarines, they 
had refitted there more than once, and he also 


ONE MORE BLOW AT THE BOCHES 335 


knew just where the shore batteries were located. 

That night was the time set for the expedition. 
There was ample depth for the Perry in the chan- 
nel, and there would be a good chance, by flying 
German signals, if necessary, to approach within 
torpedoing range without suspicion. 

All this was arranged. At a final meeting of 
the leading officers on the monitor that afternoon 
it was decided that the British would use the 
nearer channel, for having tried it before, they 
were convinced that another attempt might prob- 
ably succeed. When Bevens disclosed to them his 
own part in the attack, the danger of threading 
the mines through that two-mile area was dis- 
mally painted. But as we have before intimated, 
Bevens was a man of original methods and strong 
convictions. He had faith in these two Belgo- 
Germans, strengthened mainly by their sincere an- 
tipathy to the Bodies. He also realized the long 
familiarity of the older one with the ins and outs 
of his native port. Signals were agreed upon, 
each to mean certain things, to secure a time uni- 


S36 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


formity between the British and the Americans 
in making their several moves. The British took 
boats along, meaning to board the Moltke if neces- 
sary. They could not, it seemed, capture and 
take her out; but they might destroy her as she 
lay moored within the safest part of the exposed 
harbor. 

Night came. By this time father and son had 
gotten over their first emotions of meeting and 
had spent the hours when Yohn junior was not 
busy, at duties to which he had been assigned re- 
counting to each other all the things pertinent to 
such an occasion. Both knew in full just what 
was expected of each to do. 

When the time arrived the Perry , turning west, 
just as if bound for somewhere among the Chan- 
nel ports, kept that course until out of sight by 
any German scouting land parties that might fol- 
low the shore that lay soutliward. 

Darkness came, and with it a haze of cloud and 
a -spitting of fine snow. The night was colder. 
Bevens, from the bridge, with the two Yohns be- 


ONE MORE BLOW AT THE BOCHES 337 

side liim, the older at the wheel, presaged a suc- 
cessful night. 

‘^It^s dark enough; it^s thick enough; and pro- 
vided our friends here can find their way right, we 
ought to give a good account of ourselves.’’ 

"'Yah— goot wedder! The Herr captain iss 
right.” The old pilot grinned. "I find mine son 
through the Herr captain. Surely I put him 
where he can do what he like to zee Molthe/^ 

All very well, provided it worked accordingly. 
Tow^ards three bells in the first night watch, a 
rocket sent up from the monitor was the signal 
that the Johnny Bulls were ready and for the 
Perry to get back towards where her operations 
would begin. Watching for this the destroyer 
at once pointed south under the old pilot’s hand, 
and sped along at an eighteen-knot gait — not back 
to where the British were, but towards a coast 
indentation more opposite their present position. 
Between haze, snow, and general darkness it was 
like heading back into inky blackness. But Yofin 
senior seemed to know his way, more by intui- 


338 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


tion than sight or reckoning. Yet even Sevens 
grew anxious. After the lapse of an hour he 
again sought the two Belgians. 

‘‘Be very careful/^ he cautioned. “We might 
run ashore, ehT’ 

The old pilot looked astonished. But Yohn 
junior spoke up. 

“We Ve been in shore for soom bit, sir. We’re 
in among the mines now. ’ ’ 

“What?” The commander was astonished. 
“Are you sure?” 

“I go by vot der fader say. He know — ^yah — 
he know. ’ ’ 

Feeling his own impotence in such matters, 
Sevens made his rounds, coming across our gun 
squad under Rains gathered about the forward 
port torpedo tube. All were in great spirits. 

“Ef we don’t get that feller, sir, it won’t be 
for lack of trying.” 

“I hope you will, Rains, but be careful. You 
are under no circumstances to make a move until 
signals are given. ’ ’ 


ONE MORE BLOW AT THE BOCHES 339 

At last gun firing began ahead. The British, 
attacking, were being replied to by the German 
artillery after the manner of previous attempts. 
The understanding was that when this assault was 
well under way would be the time for the Perry 
to begin her own work. Bevens, after finishing his 
rounds, seesawed his way back to the bridge, and 
told the old pilot that now was the time for them 
to emerge into the small bay where the disabled 
battleship was moored. 

‘‘How far have we to goV^ he concluded. 

“Ve are alreatty der, Herr captain.’^ 

“Wliat do you meanT^ 

“I mean, Herr captain, zat we are right now 
yust vere we ought to be. Ve poosh forrd feefty 
yard. Zen you fire torpedo — ach! 1 seen von 
Boche sheep blow oop. Five hunnerd Boches in 
hell, I hope.’^ 

Bevens was surprised. The firing ahead and to 
their left increased. It was now less than a mile 
distant. Lurid flashings from the shore batter- 
ies, and now from the warship's port guns made 


340 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


fleeting visions of the scene of the fight dimly ap- 
parent. 

‘^But the mines ! Are there none in our wajV^ 

^‘Nein, Herr captain. Ve are between de 
Molthe and ze shore. 

Bevens could hardly believe his ears. Mean- 
time the Perry, gliding almost noiselessly, 
emerged where they saw distinctly ahead. Flares 
were now going up. The crippled warship loomed 
up startlingly near. Bevens, from the bridge, 
could hardly believe it. Already the gunners were 
pointing the forward torpedoes. 

‘^Can those chaps on board see usf^’ queried 
Bevens doubtfully. 

‘‘Nein, nein — not yet.’’ This from the old man, 
giving the wheel a sudden turn that made the 
Perry veer to port a little. 

‘‘Why did you do that!” asked Bevens. 

“Von ole, ole mine vas dar vonce. Best keep 
safe, long as we can.” 

The time had come. Not more than six hun- 
dred yards away lay the Molthe, her starboard 


ONE MORE BLOW AT THE BOCHES 341 

batteries still flashing northward where the Brit- 
ish destroyer, sea-slugs, chasers and what not, 
backed by the monitor, were trying to penetrate 
closer to the beleaguered warship. Two formid- 
able shore batteries beyond the watery lair 
wherein the MoUke was moored were blazing 
away. 

From their position in the rear and to the west, 
the Perry was still unobserved, thanks to the old 
pilot ’s intimate knowledge of the inner harbor and 
its approaches. . 

‘^Ready?’^ said Holworth, from the forward 
gun deck below. 

^^Aye, aye, sir!^^ This from Rains, his crew 
each at his appointed place. 

In mathematically precise aim, adjusted to the 
rising and falling of the ship on the gentle tide 
ripples, lay the long, deadly tube that might snutf 
out hundreds of lives. 

Meanwhile, at the stern of the Perry one of the 
crew, not wise to the danger mentioned by the 
pilot, was casting forth a line with a grapnel in 


342 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


the effort to hook it to a huge post a few yards 
away. He had been ordered to do this by Brew- 
ster, chief gunner, so as to bring the Perri/V waist 
guns more in firing range, should real fighting en- 
sue. By hauling on the line the destroyer’s stern 
would veer without disturbing her present posi- 
tion. Brewster knew nothing of the old mine 
either. 

Ready?” said Holworth again, after a last 
adjustment of the sights. ‘‘This is a surface shot 
and we must not vary. All right? Fire!” 

There came the usual thudding shock which the 
discharge of a big torpedo causes on the smaller 
class of ships. A swishing gray streak left the 
Perry side, splitting the waves as it ricocheted 
along the black water straight for the Molthe^s 
side, hitting it fairly forward and abeam. A 
second later there was a terrific explosion, much 
louder than was expected. Evidently the maga- 
zine had been hit. The forward half of that war- 
ship simply flew into huge fragments. She was 
a ruin ; all but the after half, which at once sank 


ONE MORE BLOW AT THE BOCHES 343 

to the bottom. Only her mizzenmast, badly shat- 
tered, protruded from the water as the light died 
down, and blackness ensued again. The old 
pilot ’s wish had been suddenly realized. 

‘‘Now let us get out of this as quickly as pos- 
sible.^’ Sevens, rousing from the moment of 
mental coma that shocked him motionless at the 
tragedy of such a triumph, gave this into the old 
pilot’s ear. 

‘ ‘Yah, yah, yah ! Ye go — ^ve go ! ” He whirled 
the wheel, and at the same time the sailor, having 
caught his grapnel about the post, was hauling the 
stern of the destroyer towards the post, very 
slowly, though the recoil of the torpedo helped. 
Brewster called to the hand to desist. No use for 
further firing now. But the mischief was done. 
The stern of the destroyer bumped the post. 

Forward, Kains and his crew were being con- 
gratulated, though the other gun crews felt them- 
selves cheated out of their own chances. In the 
midst of this came another less violent explosion 
at the rear, while many were thrown to the deck 


344 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


by the jar. The stern of the destroyer rose visibly 
upward, subsiding with a splash. All were jarred 
into sudden realizations of — what? Were they, 
too, sinking? 

Instantly the commander and Holworth had 
squads of men at each spot whence danger might 
have approached unseen. Then down came Yohn, 
sent by the old pilot, saying: 

^^Eet was de ole mine! Fader, he know. 
Shave ze stern! We too near zat post. Gher- 
mans coom ! Fetter gidt out of dis ! ’ ’ He shook 
his head. ^ ^ Fader, he know ! ’ ’ 

Further brief search and inquiry disclosed that 
the Perry was still sound, except that one rudder 
blade was shivered, with a small leak somewhere 
astern. 

But more important was the old pilot ^s urging, 
even upon the commander, to: ‘‘Go whiles ze 
goings goot.’^ 

Quickly Bevens realized that, having done all 
the damage they came to do, the thing to do quickly 
now was in short to “go whiles ze goin’s goot.” 


ONE MORE BLOW AT THE BOCHES 345 

And go they did, in short order, with the same vet- 
eran at the wheel who had brought them so effect- 
ively into that unfrequented locality. Had the 
Boches thought any one would have tried this 
passage, deep enough for only chasers, destroyers 
and the like, guns would have protected it then as 
they did after this. No use to linger longer to 
aid the British. Already from across the water, 
during the slackening of the German fire, came 
distant cheering. The Johnny Bulls must know 
and they were responding accordingly. 

Within a few minutes more the Perry had 
backed from the basin, turned round and was 
scooting deviously, under the old man’s handling, 
to where the surroundings were safer. Shells 
from the baffled shore batteries followed them, to 
which no reply was permitted, as it would give 
away their position to the enemy. 

The two miles of tortuous running were nearly 
accomplished when there came a sudden blaze of 
gun-fire from the left and well forward. No harm 
w^as done in the dark, but the destroyer increased 


346 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

lier speed to nearly double her prior rate, while 
the gun crews gathered at the guns, as they made 
for the open sea. The aft gun was about to train 
upon the point whence the flashes had come, 
but Bevens stopped it. 

‘^Not now,^’ said he. ‘^We’d simply be shoot- 
ing at a blank wall.’’ 

Later, the pilot explained that the Germans 
had a barge gunboat at about that point, whicli 
was the mouth of a stream barely navigable. This 
was probably the cause of the shooting. 


CHAPTER XX 


CONCLUSION 

Once more in the open sea, the Perry was roar- 
ing westward at full speed, without anybody, un- 
less it was the superior officers, knowing in the 
least where they were going or what was the 
destination. Finally Bevens gathered Holworth 
and several of the higher officers in his small state- 
room, saying : 

‘^Our present destination is a certain point offi 
the mouth of the Seine. Before meeting this 

E , there was flashed to us a wireless in our 

most private code. It was from Admiral Sims 
himself. I thought best not to say anything about 
it, and warned the code man here,’’ nodding to 
that official, ^Ho keep it dark for the present. 
When this night’s raid came off, I knew we could 
spare a few hours. Well, we got through that, 
and I guess rather astonished the British Lim- 


347 


348 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


ies, as well as the Bodies. We have five hours 
to make our destination, and we can make it in 
three with this weather. 

‘^It appears there are transports due there, with 
a lot of our doughboys on board. W^e’ve got to 
stay around and see them safely into Havre. 
Then we are to return to our general base at 
P 

‘^But,^^ began some one, ‘^suppose we had been 
detained longer with that Moltlie affair? 
Wouldn’t that have made trouble?” 

‘Ht might, provided we had been delayed. But, 
after striking that old pilot, with his knowledge 
of the secret passage, I somehow felt we had to do 
that. Especially as the Johnnies were determined 
to try the other way in front. 

felt that we ought to take a chance. We did, 
and — here we are! Not a word must get out 
either to crew or minor officers as to where we are 
going or what we will do, until I give the word.” 

Of course this was law on board, and no one dis- 
sented. So the Perry plowed on, all lights out. 


CONCLUSION 


349 


at her best speed. Sawyers, the engineer, 'was one 
of those thus informed, and it is certain that he 
did his part with the engines nobly. 

One hour, two, three passed. Much wondering 
among the people, from the chief gunner, the quar- 
termasters and on down. But the four-hour 
watches kept all hands so occupied that sleep must 
be had when it could be had. So the time for talk 
and speculation was brief. At various times se- 
cret signals from passing sea craft were ex- 
changed, often without sight or even sound on 
board. The cold dawn was dully breaking when 
Bevens, on the bridge, called for slowing down 
gradually. They were about mid-channel, and the 
destroyer’s bow was turned south. They were en- 
tering the wide bay that indents the French coast, 
with the mouth of the Seine and the city of Havre 
at its eastern side. Direct to the west lay Cher- 
bourg. But these towns were twenty to thirty 
miles away, to starboard and port. 

By this time, as the dawn grew, the haze of the 
night thickened until it was difficult to distinguish 


350 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

any object further away than eighty or a hundred 
yards. Another secret radio! 

After reading it B evens gave an order. The 
bow of the destroyer was turned westward by 
north, and she plowed away at renewed speed. 
The watch not on duty was breakfasting. Break- 
fast at such a time meant that each man was 
handed from the galley a tin of strong cotfee, a 
dish of meat, with potatoes and bread, all in goodly 
proportions. They ate it where, how and as they 
might. 

On roared the Perry, her speed at between 
twenty-five and thirty knots. 

“Look here, boys,^’ said Gaily, “what are we up 
against anyway?’^ 

“Blamed if I know,’’ remarked Rains, taking a 
huge swallow of the coffee. “Nobody knows, ’less 
it’s the big ones aboard. Ask one of them and 
they’ll wink, shake their heads and give another 
order.” 

Both Telfair and Trumbull, though curious, had 
sense enough to keep quiet, though Solly and 


CONCLUSION 351 

Snoddy chewed the rag with their mates. To 
Yohn and his father they expatiated at some 
length. 

^^Mebbe we Ye on the way to be decorated for 
what weVe done — eh U' Solly winked as he got 
this off. 

‘‘I’d give a nickel to find out what we Ye up to ! ” 
remarked Snodgrass. 

“Aw, dry oop!” put in the old pilot, grinning 
caustically. “I lern zat from you Amerikanner 
alreaty. Ze captain — he all right. We know 
when time come. We know — ” 

A faint, far off, wheezy halloo drifted over the 
gunwale. 

It was repeated. Then — once more it came. 

By this time there came to the bridge down the 
lookout tube ; 

“Boat off starboard bow, sir. Can just make 
her out.” 

By this time all below were looking everj^where, 
but nothing was visible. 

The Perry^s prow was turned slightly to the 


352 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


nor ^-westward, and she slowed down visibly as 
those on the bridge searched the sea. At last a 
gray phantom of a launch, well loaded with people, 
might be dimly discerned, while the feeble hailing 
became more audible. In another minute or so 
the destroyer was alongside of a roomy ship’s 
launch drifting helplessly about. There were only 
a pair of oars arid the motor power was inactive. 
The boat was crowded; overcrowded, in fact. Be- 
sides men there were women, even a child or two. 
Most of the men were in ordinary civilian garb; 
the women, seemingly unfamiliar with nautical 
matters, were disheveled, yet wore the current 
fashionable dress. Some had wraps, some not. 
The men were in the same condition, some being 
without coats, having surrendered them to the 
ladies. 

“Bet you anything they’ve been submarined,” 
said Trumbull from the rail. 

“Yes,” returned Telfair. “Look at that old 
guy in his shirt and vest that ’s steering. He looks 
— ugh! My God!” Telfair had jumped up from 


CONCLUSION 353 

where he was leaning at the rail in the waist. ‘‘Is 
that you, father?^’ The lad was shouting, in in- 
tense excitement. “Ahoy there! You! Father!’' 

The last exclamations were delivered so vocif- 
erously that a short, stocky man at the stern, his 
coat wrapped round a slender female figure seated 
beside him, looked up inquiringly, as if trying to 
identify that voice. The girl at his side half 
sprang up, pointed at Telly’s wildly waving arms 
and said something to the man at her side. 

‘ ‘ Silence — you ! ’ ’ This was from Gunner Brew- 
ster, attracted by Truesby’s apparently insane 
behavior. “Know where and what you are?” 

To this Telfair w'as deaf. More gesticulating 
as he shouted : 

“I know you. It’s you and Aline. Don’t you 
know me? I’m Telfair!” 

Considering that Truesby was merely one of a 
double line of Jackies, all uniformed alike, it was 
hardly likely that any one would pick him out, un- 
less his shrill shouts and gestures made him thus 
marked. 


354 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

‘ ^ Go easy, Telly, ’ ^ said Trumbull, his own pulses 
beginning to jump. ‘‘Theydl be alongside in a 
few minutes. ’ ’ And yet even Trumbull waved his 
cap, and also a handkerchief. Moreover, as the 
boat drew nearer he straightened up and called 
out: ‘‘That you. Miss Truesby? W'ho’d ’a’ 
thought you would be visiting us in this way?^’ 

“I never would, youngster,’’ remarked the 
man in the launch’s stern, rising and giving or- 
ders in real salt-sea style to the men in the bow 
to make ready to ‘ ‘ fend off. ’ ’ 

By this time the destroyer ’s decks were swarm- 
ing with sailors, while the ladder was being low- 
ered. Our own Jackies were at the gangway, with j 
pike and lines, making ready to secure the launch | 
to the ladder’s foot. Right in the van was Tel- ^ 
fair, Trumbull a close second, helping up the 
weather battered occupants, among the last of 
which was the stout man, still in his vest and 
shirt, while behind him came the girl, her scantily 
clad form enwrapped by his coat that was twice i 
too big for her slender figure. 


CONCLUSION 


355 


Up the ladder they painfully climbed, single file, 
assisted by willing Jackies who, however, had 
guessed the sense of things sufficiently to leave 
Telly and Trumbull the pleasure of taking charge 
of the two last. So busy was Telly handshaking 
and assisting his father that Trumbull had room 
to do the proper thing by the daughter. He again 
doffed liis cap, he shook her hand in both of his, 
and he assisted her with such youthful strength 
and grace that the tired, exhausted girl smiled at 
him lingeringly, making his pulse throb again. In 
reality she was too tired to say much; but that 
smile and the look of her dark eyes was enough. 
Trumbull walked the deck as if he trod on air. 

The stout, stocky, elderly man, once on deck, 
greeted his own son with a huge gulp of de- 
light. 

‘‘Well, well, Telfair! Who would ^a’ thought 
of such a meeting as this! And just after being 
shelled and sunk by one of those pesky sea-sharks 
— a Boche submarine! If you doubt it, ask the 
rest of them. ’ ^ 


356 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 

True it was, yet no truer than scores of other 
cases, where innocent men, women, children, were 
forced into small boats and left to the mercies of 
those wintry, icy seas. 

Five hours before, the New Orleans, a steam- 
ship right out of Galveston, loaded with live stock 

for the British port of P (the very base our 

Jackies were about to return to after escorting the 
coming transports) was sunk by one of the sub- 
marines that gather inside the Chops of the Chan- 
nel. Less than fifteen minutes were allowed for 
the crew and the few passengers to leave. 

The launch had been turned over to the passen- 
gers ’ use, together with two of the crew, stock 
tenders, it seemed. The rest, debarking later in 
other boats, had been lost sight of during the 
night. The launch, under charge of the old sea 
captain, had plowed briskly along until the sup- 
ply of gasoline played out. It was hardly possible 
to use oars, as but two were in the boat. But 
these were wearily wielded, with but slow head- 
way, when the noise of the destroyer ^s blowers 


CONCLUSION 


357 


caused them to , keep up the halloos that v/ere 
heard. 

‘ ' What became of the sub ? ’ ’ asked Telfair, when 
these sea-wayfarers had been distributed, as best 
could be, among the Perry's limited accommoda- 
tions. 

‘‘She submerged, after placing explosives on 
board our vessel. I hope she gels hers when some 
warship comes along — confound her ! ’ ^ 

His father spoke vongefully. It was plain that 
this kind of modern piracy was against his old- 
fashioned notions of what was right and wrong on 
the high seas. 

“Eight hundred mules aboard — it was wicked, 
wicked work, my boy ! ’ ^ 

‘ ‘ On Aline ’s account you should have taken one 
of the regular passenger boats at New York, sir. 
They’re safer — ” 

“Not by a durned sight !” grumbled the old cap- 
tain. “Look at the Lusitania^ and other regulars 
that have been sent to the bottom. No, sir; 
there ’s neither honor, mercy, nor humanity among 


358 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


those sea pests. At first I was grumpy because 
you enlisted, son. But now I mighty glad of it ! 
I think Aline is, too. Say, she and that Trumbull 
fellow seem to be taking quite a shine to each 
other. Is he all right? 

‘ ‘ Right as a trivet, dad ! ^ ’ And thereupon Tel- 
fair related all he knew about Washy, how he was 
of the old Trumbull stock, and just had to go in. 

Meantime the Perry captain, after making the 
shipwrecked ones as comfortable as possible, pro- 
ceeded on his prescribed course, falling in with the 
transport convoy within a few hours. 

When it was learned that the Perry had saved 
the passenger outfit of the sunken steamer, she 
was ordered to take on board the officers and crew, 
most of whom had been rescued by other war- 
ships with which those waters were plentifully 
sprinkled. She was then authorized by the ad- 
miral in charge to proceed forthwith to P , 

land her passengers and await further orders. 

There were already sufficient ships to ensure the 
safe arrival of these transports at their port iv 


CONCLUSION 


359 


l^rance. Besides this, the admiral had heard 
“through wireless reports of the things the Perry 
had been engaged in. It was enough — more than 
enough in fact, to warrant the Perry^s making for 
the base. Meantiitie the admiral wished to thank 
both officers and sailors for what had been done. 
As to the submarine, there was good reason to feel 
^ure that she had been sunk by a depth bomb from 
4111 American destroyer that had sighted her not 
many hours after the New Orleans went down. 

As may be expected, the surprise at seeing each 
other amid the circumstances under which the 
Truesby family had met wore off after the first 
hours of their meeting. Things were getting set- 
tled. Calthorp Buffer told them how pleased the 
squire, his father, would be, and how glad they 
all were that Captain Truesby had taken this 
method to see his old friend. 

Well,’^ remarked Washy quizzically, ‘‘Captain 
Truesby mightn T have come at all if he hadn T had 
an only son over here. Isn ’t that so. Miss Aline ? ’ ’ 

“DonT ask me!^’ Aline held her face down. 


360 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


‘‘You know there were others.” She looked up. 
“The Bullers were such old friends. And — ” 

“And — ” Trumbull leaned forward pleadingly. 
“Please go on!” 

But she shook her pretty head, blushed slightly^ 
and looked him squarely in the eyes. But at last 
her gaze drooptid again, while Trumbull felt that 
fate was growing kinder. As a signal artist, her 
skill now was equal to that shown with the wig- 
waggers at the Great Lakes Training Station. 

At P leave was given to all our Jackies for 

three days to go with the Bullers to their home. 
Here Captain Truesby announced that he and 
Aline would remain in England for a month or so 
as guests of the Bullers. In the midst of this, who 
should appear at the Buller mansion but Com- 
mander Norwood, with Captain Bevens. The for- 
mer bore special decorations for our Jackies, be- 
stowed by the British government in token of their 
general conduct both on board the destroyer and 
on board the English submarine. In all this Cally 
was of course included. 


CONCLUSION 


361 


But Bevens had another message, also an order 
from the admiral. The message was from the 
navy department, by code cable. It read : 

‘‘Congratulations to you and your lads for de- 
stroying German raider and capturing German 
submarine. Also for further subsequent opera- 
tions along the Belgian coast. Daniels. ’ ^ 

“Why, that’s from the Secretary himself!” 
cried Telly. 

“My opinion is that we will hear later from this 
when promotions are in order.” This from Com- 
mander Bevens. “But don’t any of you lads get 
the big head ! There ’s a good deal of luck in many 
things. I want to tell you that our friend Yohn 
Koehler has enlisted as a sailor — an Al. His old 
father is happy. They have provided for him at 
our base hospital, where the work is light and the 
pay sure, if not large. ’ ’ 

And so let us leave them. Truly, both as Jack- 
ies and as boys, they have been exceptionally for- 


362 OUR JACKIES WITH THE FLEET 


tunate. Why? Well, for one thing, when the 
time came for anything to be done it was done and 
in the right spirit, too. More than often, this is 
really the way of success. 

The war goes on. Its end none of us can fore- 
tell except that, if it ends right, it will be largely 
because this spirit among us all, young and old, is 
the spirit that will make it end right. 


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A K R O N , OHIO 









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